How to Become a Forester in British Columbia

• 1 fee depends on your situation and is not in the total
• 8 steps without a listed fee
• Listed time: 12 months (only 1 of 9 steps state a time)

1. Undergo eligibility screening

   You must first undergo an eligibility assessment of your academic background and work experience and pay a $50 non-refundable fee online with a credit card.

   • Eligibility screening fee: $50 (non-refundable)
     Source

     “The eligibility assessment requires a $50 non-refundable fee and must be paid online with a credit card.”

     fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
   Source

   “Forest Professionals BC requires anyone applying for registration as a trainee to first undergo an eligibility assessment to assess your academic background and work experience. The eligibility assessment requires a $50 non-refundable fee and must be paid online with a credit card.”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
2. Create a portal account

   You create an account in the FPBC registrant portal and provide your personal, contact, educational, and employment information along with an indictable offence declaration.

   Source

   “To create your account, you must provide your full name, birth date, residential address, and preferred contact information such as phone number and email address.”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
3. Determine your pathway

   You choose which trainee category to pursue based on your education, such as Forester-in-Training for a CFAB-accredited four-year degree leading to RPF.

   Source

   “Four-year degree from a program accredited by the Canadian Forestry Accreditation Board* (CFAB). | Forester-in-Training (FIT) | Registered Professional Forester (RPF)”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
4. Submit the eligibility assessment form
   Source

   “Upload a copy of a pre-screening based on the Forest Professional Regulators of Canada's (FPRC) pre-screening tool. This pre-screening tool asks a series of questions about your education and forestry-related work experience.”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
5. Submit the trainee application

   Once your eligibility is confirmed, you have 12 months to complete and submit the online trainee application form in the FPBC registrant portal.

   Time: 12 months

   Time source

   “Once Forest Professionals BC confirms your eligibility, you have 12 months to submit an application for registration as a trainee.”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
   Source

   “Once Forest Professionals BC confirms your eligibility, you have 12 months to submit an application for registration as a trainee.”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
6. Find a sponsor

   You must identify an authorized individual to sponsor you as a trainee, who must be an active practising RPF if you are applying to become an RPF.

   Source

   “Forest Professionals BC requires you to identify an individual who is willing and authorized to sponsor you as a trainee: if you are applying to become an RPF, your sponsor must also be an active and practising RPF”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
7. Arrange official transcripts

   You must arrange for the post-secondary institute where you completed your education to send official transcripts directly to Forest Professionals BC.

   Source

   “You must arrange for the post-secondary institute where you completed your education to send official transcripts directly to Forest Professionals BC.”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
8. Pay application and registration fees

   You provide a credit card to pay the application fee on submission, and the pro-rated registration fee is charged to the same card once your application is approved.

   Source

   “You must provide a credit card when submitting your application to pay the application fee online. This card should be saved in your profile, as it will also be used to pay the pro-rated registration fee upon approval.”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
9. Complete the education program

   Once registered as a trainee, you must complete the Forest Professionals BC education program along with gaining supervised work experience.

   Source

   “Once you are registered as a trainee, you must complete the Forest Professionals BC education program along with gaining supervised work experience.”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration

Official page for this route

• 4 steps without a listed fee

1. Create a portal profile

   You must first create a profile in the FPBC registrant portal, entering your personal and contact information, before completing the application form.

   Source

   “Forest professionals who are not registered with Forest Professionals BC must first create a profile in the Forest Professionals BC registrant portal before completing and submitting the application form.”

   fpbc.ca/transferring-forest-professional
2. Select the TFP certification

   In the portal you open the application form under Applications and select Transferring Forest Professional-RPF or Transferring Forest Professional-RFT.

   Source

   “Select the certification you are seeking: Transferring Forest Professional-RPF or Transferring Forest Professional-RFT.”

   fpbc.ca/transferring-forest-professional
3. Provide application information

   You provide your educational background, employment information, an indictable offence declaration, and a police background check, and upload a current CV, a reference, and confirmation of previous registration sent directly by your regulator.

   Source

   “Confirmation of previous registration. Arrange to have the regulatory body you are transferring from confirm that you are a current registrant in good standing. The regulatory body must send the confirmation letter directly to [email protected].”

   fpbc.ca/transferring-forest-professional
4. Pay the application fee

   You provide a credit card when submitting your application to pay the application fee online, and the same card is used to pay the pro-rated registration fee upon approval.

   Source

   “You must provide a credit card when submitting your application to pay the application fee online. This card should be saved in your profile, as it will also be used to pay the pro-rated registration fee upon approval.”

   fpbc.ca/transferring-forest-professional

Official page for this route

• 4 steps without a listed fee
• Listed time: 1.4 months (only 1 of 4 steps state a time)

1. Submit an entrance application

   If you hold a licence in good standing from a regulatory authority in another international jurisdiction, you may qualify for streamlined entrance by submitting a completed entrance application.

   Time: 6 weeks

   Time source

   “Completed entrance applications are typically approved within six weeks of receipt.”

   fpbc.ca/become-a-forest-professional/transferring-forest-profession...
   Source

   “Forest Professionals British Columbia (FPBC) recognizes forest professionals holding licences in good standing from regulatory authorities in other international jurisdictions and in compliance with BC’s International Credentials Recognition Act (ICRA).”

   fpbc.ca/become-a-forest-professional/transferring-forest-profession...
2. Complete the admission process

   If you are not licensed in your home jurisdiction but have post-secondary forestry qualifications, you first complete the admission process to have your educational credentials assessed against national competency standards.

   Source

   “If you are not a licensed forest professional in your home jurisdiction, but possess post-secondary qualifications in forestry, you may still be eligible to apply for registration with FPBC. First, complete the admission process to have your educational credentials assessed against national professional forester or forest technologist competency standards.”

   fpbc.ca/become-a-forest-professional/transferring-forest-profession...
3. Obtain an Education Credential Assessment

   Internationally trained graduates must undergo a course-by-course Education Credential Assessment of their academic programs by a third-party agency such as WES, ICES, or IQAS and have the complete report sent to FPBC.

   Source

   “For internationally trained graduates, you must undergo an Education Credential Assessment of your completed academic programs by a third-party agency, such as World Education Services, International Credentials Evaluation Service (ICES), or International Qualification Assessment Service (IQAS), and have them send FPBC the complete report. The Education Credential Assessment must be a course-by-course assessment.”

   fpbc.ca/applying-for-registration/rpf-rft-nrp-registration
4. Apply to ICES online

   You can apply to ICES through its online application portal, submitting colour scans of your identification, academic records, and credentials, and paying by credit card only.

   Source

   “Have your credit card ready. Online applications accept payment by credit card only (Visa, Mastercard or American Express). Debit cards are not accepted for payment.”

   bcit.ca/ices/eca/apply-online

Official page for this route