Last updated: August 31, 2018
Regulated profession:
- Veterinarian
| NOC 2016¹ | Occupation |
| 3114 | Veterinarian |
Regulator:
Regulated title:
- Veterinarian
National body:
- Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is the national organization dedicated to the promotion and advancement of the profession. CVMA is not a regulatory body.
National examining body:
- National Examining Board (NEB) is a committee of the CVMA. NEB:
- Oversees the NEB Candidate Application process.
- Conducts the review of each NEB Candidate Application to determine eligibility to write the first NEB examination. The review process includes an assessment of academic qualifications.
- Administers the series of NEB examinations. See NEB Summary.
Note: NEB is not a regulatory body.
Application process: (for professional registration)
- See Becoming an MVMA Veterinarian Member Note: Most internationally-educated veterinarians will follow the Graduates of Non-Accredited Veterinary Colleges pathway.
Credential assessment:
- Conducted by the National Examining Board (NEB) (see above).
Language proficiency:
NEB exams are offered in both English and French. Applicants whose first language is neither English nor French must meet English or French language proficiency requirements.
- See Section K – Language Proficiency Requirement of the NEB Candidate Information Guide – NEB Examination Process.
Professional competency profiles:
- Not available.
Tools/resources:
- FAQs at MVMA
- FAQs at CVMA-NEB*
- Candidate Information Guide at NEB
- Resources at NEB
*FAQs at CVMA-NEB are a useful tool for locating information on the CVMA-NEB application process.
Membership associations:
Membership in the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is open to all veterinarians who are licensed to practice in any province; CVMA membership is mandatory for veterinarians in Manitoba.
Essential skills profiles:
Job Bank provides Essential Skills Profiles for over 350 occupations. Each profile describes how individuals apply the Nine Literacy and Essential Skills in the workplace. The nine skills are Reading, Document Use, Writing, Numeracy, Oral Communication, Thinking, Digital Technology, Working with Others, and Continuous Learning.
To search an Essential Skills Profile:
- Open Explore Careers by Essential Skills;
- Select an occupation;
- Click on arrow; scroll down to locate and open each of the nine essential skills.
Employment outlook:
- Open Explore careers by outlook
- Enter occupation name or NOC code in window; click “Search”
- Scroll down to view employment outlook by provinces and regions across Canada.
Job search tools:
- See MVA Classified Advertising (MVMA classifieds page).
To search job postings in any occupation visit:
- Government of Canada – Job Bank – Job Search
- Government of Canada – Job Bank – Job Match
Related occupations / Alternate careers:
There are many reasons an internationally-educated veterinarian may be interested in working in a related occupation. Related occupations provide an individual with the opportunity to:
- apply his/her skills and experience in a different (but related) occupation;
- gain meaningful, interim employment while pursuing professional certification;
- gain meaningful, alternative employment (as a stepping stone or career goal) if he/she chooses not to pursue professional certification or if he/she is not eligible to pursue professional certification.
Listed below are examples of occupations in the broader field of animal health care. While each occupation will have its own set of employment requirements, none are regulated occupations in Manitoba and therefore do not have certification / registration requirements with a professional regulatory body. Employers often, however, require applicants to have job-specific experience, training, and/or certification. Always check the hiring criteria carefully. Hiring criteria is set by the employer and will vary from employer to employer.
| NOC 2016¹ | Occupation |
| 3213 | Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (Open NOC 3213 see ‘View all titles’) |
| 8252 | Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers |
| 0821 | Managers in agriculture (incl. animal breeders) |
| 6563 | Pet groomers and animal care workers |
| 2222 | Agricultural and fish products inspectors |
| 2121 | Biologists and related scientists |
| 2221 | Biological technologists and technicians |
| 2211 | Chemical technologists and technicians |
| 6221 | Technical sales specialists (incl. veterinary equipment and supplies) |
Other resources:
BioTalent Canada provides career exploration tools for internationally educated professionals interested in pursuing alternative careers in biotechnology. Open BioTalent Canada – Foreign Professionals and search available resources including Skills Transfer and Alternate Careers.
Note: This Fact Sheet was developed by Manitoba Education and Training, Immigration and Economic Opportunities Division. It serves as a guide and will be updated periodically. When researching information on professional registration policies and procedures, always refer to the regulator to ensure accurate, up-to-date information.
1 The Government of Canada updates the National Occupational Classification (NOC) every five years. At present, users can access three versions of NOC (2016, 2011, and 2006) on the NOC website. With each update, some NOC codes will change but the majority will stay the same. When searching an occupation on the NOC website always use the most recent version (NOC 2016). The Government of Canada also operates Job Bank using NOC codes. Job Bank, however, currently operates on NOC 2011. When navigating on Job Bank, always use 2011 NOC codes.