Effective September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
The College of Physiotherapists of Alberta (CPTA) is phasing out the Provisional Register. No individual will be admitted to the Provisional Register after September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (MT). This includes both new registrants and former registrants.
Changes to Entry‑to‑Practice Examination Requirements
The process to become a regulated physiotherapist in Alberta has changed with the introduction of a single licensure examination administered by the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators, the Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE), and the discontinuation of Alberta’s Post-Graduate Clinical Examination.
As previously communicated, the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) began administering the CPTE in January 2026.
The Canadian Physiotherapy Exam:
- Is offered eight times in 2026
- Is conducted virtually over one day
- Combines written and clinical components with a single pass mark
- Evaluates critical competencies necessary for safe and effective physiotherapy practice
Click here for more info on the CPTE.
Why the Provisional Register is Being Sunset
The single licensure examination streamlines the registration process and eliminates the need for provisional registration and supervised practice.
The Provisional Register was established to allow applicants who had completed an approved physiotherapy degree and the knowledge-based written component of the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE), but not the clinical competency component, to practice under supervision. This model supported public protection and workforce access when clinical competency examinations were offered infrequently.
With the discontinuation of both the PCE written component and Alberta’s Post‑Graduate Clinical Examination, and with the increased availability and remote delivery of the CPTE, applicants now have multiple opportunities each year to meet entry‑to‑practice requirements through a direct pathway. As a result, applicants apply directly to the General Register upon successful completion of the CPTE.
The Provisional Register is only an option for applicants who successfully completed the now discontinued PCE written component. The last PCE written component was administered in November 2025. Since then, as expected, the number of Provisional Register applications has decreased as there are no new eligible applicants for this register. Individuals who completed the last PCE written component will have had a 10-month transitional period to apply for registration on the Provisional Registration.
CPTA is setting a firm sunsetting date of September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. to provide transparency, fairness, and predictability for applicants, employers, and educators, and supports consistent application of registration requirements.
- No individual will be admitted to the Provisional Register after September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (MT).
- Registration on the Provisional Register is only an option if you are registered on the Provisional Register before this deadline, regardless of when your application is received.
- Incomplete applications will not be considered after September 30, 2026.
- Registration on the Provisional Register, if approved, is limited to two years or two failed attempts at a clinical examination, whichever comes first.
- If you are not registered on the Provisional Register before September 30, 2026, you must successfully complete the Canadian Physiotherapy Examination to be eligible for registration on the General Register and independent practice.
- If you are currently registered on the Provisional Register and you maintain continuous registration on this register, you will remain on this register until:
- You reach the two-year time limit on the provisional register
- You have two failed attempts at a clinical examination OR
- You have successfully completed the CPTE to move to the general register
- If you do not maintain continuous registration, you are not eligible to reinstate registration on the Provisional Register even if you have not exceeded your two-year time limit.
- “No individual will be admitted to the Provisional Register after September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (MT). This includes former registrants.”
- If you are not registered on the Provisional Register on September 30, 2026, you will not be eligible to reinstate registration on the provisional register even if you have not exceeded your two-year time limit.
- You must successfully complete the Canadian Physiotherapy Examination to be eligible for registration on the General Register and independent practice.
- No individual will be admitted to the Provisional Register after September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (MT).
- Applicants must meet CPTA’s registration requirements at the time of application.
- Registration decisions are made based on Alberta legislation and College requirements.
