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NBEO Exam no longer accepted for optometry licensure in BC

Home 5 News 5 NBEO Exam no longer accepted for optometry licensure in BC

March 14, 2025

On March 12, 2025, the Registration Committee – Panel for Optometry reviewed expert psychometric submissions comparing the National Board of Examiners in Optometry Examination Parts I, II, III (the “NBEO Exam”) to the Optometry Examining Board of Canada Examination written and OSCE components (the “OEBC Exam”). The Committee determined that these examination systems are built on unique blueprints and assess distinct competency frameworks and therefore cannot be considered interchangeable for registration purposes. Consequently, NBEO Exam results will no longer be accepted by the College for the purpose of obtaining licensure to practise optometry in the province of British Columbia.

Transition Provisions

To implement this change, individuals who had already registered for Part I, II, or III of the NBEO Exam as of March 12, 2025 will be permitted to continue with the NBEO Exam process, and the College will recognize their results.  Individuals who completed their NBEO exam process in March 2025 will be able to submit those results as part of their application for registration in BC.

The College understands that some optometry students have invested in a prep course, such as KMK Optometry, for the NBEO exam without being registered for any parts of the NBEO exam. We are collecting information about the prep course(s) before making any final transition provisions.

Questions and Answers

Why did the College make this decision after accepting the NBEO exam for so long?
Under the current College Bylaws, the Registration Committee is authorized to determine whether or not an examination is equivalent to the accepted Canadian entry-to-practice (ETP) examination administered by the OEBC. In autumn 2024, as part of its overall duty to ensure ETP examination decisions in respect of equivalency remain defensible, the Registration Committee conducted a review of the NBEO Exam.

What should I do if my education program requires that I complete Parts I and II of the NBEO?
If, as of March 12, 2025, you are already registered for those parts of the NBEO Exam, you will be able to complete the NBEO Exam process and the College will recognize your results if you apply for licensure in British Columbia. If, as of March 12, 2025, you were not already registered for those parts of the NBEO Exam, you will be required to provide evidence of passing the OEBC Exam as a requirement of licensure with the College.

I am an optometry student and have not registered for the NBEO examination, but I have signed up for a prep course for the NBEO. Will I still be able to apply for registration in BC after completing the NBEO examination?

No. If you were not registered for any part of the NBEO examination before March 12, 2025 you must complete the OEBC Examination if you wish to practise in BC. We understand that many students sign up for the exam prep course offered by KMK Optometry. We also understand that KMK Optometry has offered to switch students currently signed up for an NBEO prep course to an OEBC prep course. Please contact KMK Optometry by April 1, 2025.

If I am already registered in BC but did not complete the OEBC Examination, do I have to do anything?

No.

I completed the NBEO before March 12, 2025 but am not yet registered in BC; may I apply for registration in BC?

If you graduated from a recognized school of optometry and completed the NBEO (Parts I, II, and III, including TMOD) between September 13, 2009 and March 12, 2025, you are eligible for registration in BC.

I didn’t complete the OEBC examination but am currently registered to practise optometry in another Canadian jurisdiction. Do I have to pass the OEBC examination before applying to practise in BC?

No. If you are registered in another Canadian jurisdiction, when you apply to BC, CFTA (labour mobility) rules apply.

I didn’t complete the OEBC examination, but I used to be registered to practise optometry in BC; am I eligible to apply for reinstatement?

This might depend on how long ago you were registered in BC and whether you are registered in a recognized jurisdiction right now, because there may have been other changes to registration requirements since then, not just the change to the examination requirement.

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