While migrating to a better country for better prospects as a pharmacist was always on my wishlist, I never thought Australia would be the place. Most Indian pharmacists think about Canada, the USA, the UK, etc, to make the move, but Australia is on the list of very few. I believe this to be a strange thing, as Australia is one of the most welcoming places for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, giving them an easy pathway for registration.
Hello, everyone. I am Dr. Akram Ahmad, a pharmacist, educator, and entrepreneur. I began my journey by completing my B.Pharm, and with time, I added several degrees under my name, such as Pharm.D and Ph.D. from the University of Sydney. My journey was full of twists and turns, and most of what I have achieved has come without guidance and support from anyone.
However, I am here with a special blog for global pharmacists who wish to migrate to Australia, or any other country for that matter, and get registered there. Today, I will tell you why Australia is the best place for you and how you can settle in Australia by clearing the KAPS exam. Read the blog till the end to know more, and to get in touch with me for more questions.
Who Can Become a Pharmacist in Australia?
I belong from a small Indian village, that didn't even have a high school back in my time. If I can become a pharmacist in Australia, anyone can. That is why I encourage global pharmacists to try their luck and work hard for Australia migration.
To become a pharmacist in Australia, all you need is a
- Degree
- Consolidated Transcript
- Category (or letter from the pharmacy council stating that you're eligible to work as a pharmacist)
- Passport
The Process
Moving on to discussing the process in simple words.
The process begins with Document Evaluation- a step where the Australian Pharmacy Council and other authorities analyse your documents. The purpose of this test is to check whether your qualifications and documents match Australian standards or not.
This skills assessment will cost you AUD 1,310, which is around 70,000 INR. To ensure a smooth skills assessment process, you must ensure you have all the documents mentioned above with you, and that too in English.
After applying for the skills assessment, you will have to wait around 2 months to get the results. Once you get a positive result, you can apply for the KAPS exam anytime. There is no expiry on the eligibility check, and thus once you receive a positive skills assessment report, you can take your KAPS exam innumerable times without having to take up this step again.
About the KAPS Exam
Let us now talk about the most important step of the process- the KAPS exam.
The Knowledge Assessment of Pharmaceutical Sciences is the exam that you need to clear to become a pharmacist in Australia. It is just like an entrance exam to the Australian healthcare system!
The KAPS exam takes place three times a year, in March, July and November. You can schedule the exam for a date that fits your preference. The best part is that there are multiple KAPS centres in different countries of the world, and thus there is probably an exam centre near your place.
The KAPS exam is neither easy nor difficult; it is just a little tricky. You just need to understand the purpose and format of the exam to ace it. For this, you can get help from the experts at Academically.
Within one month of your attempt, you get the results. Academically has helped hundreds of students clear the KAPS exam over the years. Our success rate is 90%. Read more about the course here-
What Next?
The next step is visa and internship. However, to complete this step, you must ensure that you have cleared an English proficiency test such as PTE, OET or IELTS with the required passing score.
Once you are done with the KAPS and the English proficiency exam, apply for a Visa. There are several visa options available for pharmacists, about which you can read in the following blog.
Australian visa charges are around 4,250, which equals to around 2.5 Lakh INR.
Another significant point to note here is that you can get a PR visa right after clearing the KAPS exam, within probably 1-1.5 years. However, you need to have all your documents and requirements in place.
Why Choose Australia?
Now let's talk about the main reasons to choose Australia to migrate as a pharmacist-
- The total cost (including exam and visa charges) will not be more than 5 Lakh INR.
- The complete duration of the process (till registration and final visa) will take around 10-12 months.
- You can get a visa by clearing PTE, which is a comparatively easy English language test.
- You can take the KAPS exam in your home country. One positive skills assessment means a lifetime of unrestricted attempts.
- With the right guidance and support, you can clear the KAPS exam easily!
Parting Thoughts
The ease of the process of migrating to Australia as a pharmacist makes it a lucrative option for global pharmacists looking for the best pathways to establish their careers. With no negative marking, MCQ-type questions and only 50% passing marks needed, the KAPS exam is an easy and streamlined exam for pharmacists. Thus, if you intend to migrate overseas, I believe you must seriously consider Australia.
For more information and queries regarding your overseas migration journey, you can get in touch with me today! All the best for your career advancement journey.
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