Step-by-step licensing path
Language test, credential assessment, exams and registration, in the order you need to do them.
For internationally trained professionals in British Columbia
Work in your own profession in BC, one clear step at a time.
NorthStep turns the licensing rules for your profession into a plain, ordered plan: what to do, who to contact, what it costs and how long it takes, with a link to the official source for every step.
- Free to use
- No account needed
- Official sources on every step
4sectors: health, engineering and IT, trades, finance
2languages: English and Persian
0tracking cookies and no ads
100%of steps link to the official source
Why it matters
The skills are already here. The route back is what is missing.
Canada welcomes trained professionals, yet many never return to the work they trained for. These figures come from the 2021 Census.
2×
Immigrants with a foreign degree are more than twice as likely to be overqualified for their job as Canadian-born degree holders.
Working in the profession they trained for
Share of degree holders working in their own profession, Canada, 2021
- Immigrants with a foreign degree
- People with a Canadian degree
Overqualified for their job
Degree holders in jobs that need high school education or less, Canada, 2021
A clear route through licensing will not close this gap alone, but not knowing the route is the part nobody should have to struggle with. That is the part NorthStep maps.
Source: Statistics Canada, The Daily, November 30, 2022 (2021 Census).
How it works
Three short steps from "where do I even start?" to a plan you can follow.
Choose your profession
Pick the job you trained for. You see at once whether it needs a licence in BC and which body is in charge.
Answer four questions
Language test, credential assessment, years of experience. No personal details, and nothing is stored unless you ask.
Follow your plan
Get the steps in order, tick them off as you go, and open the official page for each one when you are ready to act.
Everything you need to plan your way back to your profession
The information exists, but it is scattered across dozens of official sites. NorthStep brings it together and keeps the source one click away.
Costs and timelines
The fee and the usual waiting time for each step, where the official body publishes them.
Jobs you can do meanwhile
Related roles that keep you close to your field and earning while you work toward your licence.
Official sources, dated
Every pathway links to the regulator and shows the date it was last checked against it.
A personal plan and checklist
Save your plan to a free account and track your progress step by step, on any device.
Private by design
No advertising, no tracking cookies. You can delete your account and everything in it at any time.
Professions we cover
We start with the professions newcomers ask about most, and add more as each one is checked.
Health care
Nurses, physicians, pharmacists
See pathways
Engineering and IT
Engineers, software developers
See pathways
Skilled trades
Electricians, plumbers, automotive technicians
See pathways
Finance and accounting
Accountants, bookkeepers
See pathwaysPhotos are illustrative and do not show NorthStep users.
What the route looks like
Number of licensing or certification steps in each pathway on NorthStep
What NorthStep is, and what it is not
NorthStep is an independent information service built in British Columbia by DigiVort. Skilled newcomers often spend years working below their training simply because the way back into their profession is hard to see. We make that way visible.
NorthStep is
- A guide to professional licensing and certification in BC
- Built from official, public sources
- Free for newcomers
NorthStep is not
- A government website or a regulator
- Immigration advice of any kind
- A replacement for the official instructions of your profession
Questions people ask
Is NorthStep really free?
Yes. Browsing pathways, building a plan and keeping an account are free.
Do you help with visas or immigration applications?
No. NorthStep covers professional licensing and work in your field only. For immigration questions, contact a licensed immigration consultant or a lawyer.
How do I know the information is correct?
Each step links to the official page it comes from, and each pathway shows the date it was last checked. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with the official body before you pay or apply.
What do you do with my answers?
Without an account, your answers stay in your browser session and are not stored. If you create an account, your plan is saved so you can come back to it, and you can delete it at any time.
My profession is not listed. What now?
We add professions as we check them against official sources. Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when new ones are published.
Your experience counts here. Start with a plan.
It takes about two minutes and you do not need an account.
Build my plan