Registration

Physicians – Atlantic Registry

The Atlantic Registry is a regional licensing framework developed by the four Atlantic Canadian medical regulatory authorities—the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. It is designed to support physician mobility across the region by enabling eligible physicians to practise across all four Atlantic provinces under a streamlined licensure model, reflecting the intent of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.

For Prince Edward Island, physicians who hold General registration in good standing with no conditions or restrictions, who are not the subject of an active complaint proceeding or disciplinary matter awaiting adjudication,  with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island (or the equivalent General licence in another Atlantic province) may be eligible to participate in the Atlantic Registry.

Participation in the Atlantic Registry is opt-in. Eligible physicians must submit an opt-in request through their home Atlantic College—defined as the province where they file their Income tax, sign consents and pay the applicable annual fee (currently $500). This single fee replaces separate application or temporary licensure fees across the Atlantic provinces and is processed through the physician’s home College.

Once a completed opt-in request, criminal record check, signed consents and payment is received; the physician is granted reciprocal licensure across all participating Atlantic provinces, allowing for cross-jurisdictional practice without separate applications in each province. Physicians must wait for confirmation of licensure from the relevant province before beginning practice there. Participation is renewed annually through the home College, and continued eligibility is confirmed at the time of annual renewal.

Physicians participating in the Atlantic Registry are expected to comply with the regulatory requirements, standards, and applicable laws of the province in which care is delivered. They are responsible for ensuring appropriate credentialing and hospital privileging where applicable, as well as maintaining adequate professional liability coverage for all provinces in which they practise.

Regulatory oversight and complaints are managed in the jurisdiction where the clinical encounter occurs. Physicians remain subject to the standards and authority of each participating Atlantic College while practising under the Registry.

Participation may be discontinued if a physician opts out, relocates outside the Atlantic region, fails to meet ongoing licensing requirements, or if concerns arise regarding conduct, competence, or capacity.

If you meet the eligibility requirements, the Opt-in Form will be available in your member portal.

Atlantic Registry Requirements

The Home Jurisdiction College will review the prospective Atlantic Physician’s College file to confirm whether the physician meets all the following criteria:

  1. they hold a Full Licence in the Home Jurisdiction
  2. they have a clear enhanced Canadian criminal record check
  3. their “Home Jurisdiction” is an Atlantic province
  4. their licence or registration in the Home Jurisdiction:
    1. has not been revoked in the previous ten years
    2. has not been suspended, including on an interim basis, in the previous ten years
    3. is not subject to a current interim suspension
    4. is not subject to a current restriction or condition which has been applied due to disciplinary or quality assurance/fitness to practice issues, including those conditions or restrictions agreed to by a physician in an agreement or undertaking
  5. they are not subject to any open complaint that is known to the Home Jurisdiction, regardless of the jurisdiction in which the complaint was filed
  6. they have not received more than one non-disciplinary outcome resulting from a complaint within the last three years (e.g. caution, counsel, censure)
  7. they are not currently subject to ongoing monitoring or undergoing a quality assurance or fitness to practice review as a result of a concern(s) raised regarding the physician’s health or competency to practice medicine
  8. there are no concerns in any jurisdiction, which are known to the Home Jurisdiction College, and deemed by the Registrar of the Home Jurisdiction College to be a barrier to opt-in, including but not limited to:
    1. criminal convictions, criminal charges, or restraining orders
    2. actions taken against hospital privileges