How the pandemic is disrupting the lives of people seeking their Canadian physio licences
CBC
Sampada Keluskar moved from Toronto to northern Alberta because of an exam.
Keluskar is one of at least 2,000 physiotherapist candidates across Canada who have been unable to get their full licence because of ongoing issues with the national clinical exam, which has been cancelled five times since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a foreign-educated physiotherapist and newcomer to Canada working on a post-graduate work permit, Keluskar says she was worried that her interim licence would expire before she could successfully pass the clinical exam, potentially putting her permanent resident application in jeopardy.
She said dealing with the uncertainty in Ontario, where an interim licence previously lasted a year, was taking a toll on her mental health. In Alberta, interim licences last two years.
"Considering the exam situation, the COVID situation and my immigration situation, all of these three together, I think Alberta was a better option for me," said Keluskar.
The Canada Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) last held a full clinical exam in November 2019, leaving 832 people in Ontario with only an interim licence. The backlog comes at a time of increasing demand for physiotherapists as people recover from COVID-19. It's also making life difficult for physiotherapist candidates left in limbo, prompting some, like Keluskar, to make drastic changes to cope in the meantime.
"Starting everything from scratch in Grande Prairie was a really daunting experience for me," said Keluskar, who knew no one when she moved to the city in December 2020.
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