International Midwifery Preregistration Bridging Program (IMPBP)

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Note: Applications to the International Midwifery Preregistration Bridging Program will open on November 14, 2024. For more information about the program and application process, contact impbp@torontomu.ca.

Canada’s parents and babies need the best possible care – and we want to help you provide it. The Chang School is proud to offer the International Midwifery Preregistration Bridging Program (IMPBP), designed to aid internationally educated midwives (IEMs) in jumpstarting their midwifery careers here in Canada. Completing this program prepares you for writing the Canadian Midwifery Registration Exam (CMRE) offered by the Canadian Midwifery Regulators Council.

Our program tailors the curriculum and clerkship to your experience level, so you can master any remaining skills you need to succeed in Canada’s healthcare system.

How Our Bridging Program Can Help You Thrive in Canada

Midwifery is already an intense job, so at The Chang School, we’re all about streamlining your education experience so you can accelerate your career in your new country ASAP and with as little stress as possible.

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Personalized Curriculum

Our program customizes your learning based on your past experience in the field to address any knowledge gaps so you can start working quickly

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Flexible Work/Life Balance

You can complete the online and hybrid parts of the program and your placement from almost anywhere in Canada - our hybrid course model allows you to work during the non-clerkship portion of your studies

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Inclusive Coursework

Equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility concepts are prioritized during the program, setting you up for success in Canada’s multicultural landscape

Best of all? The program only takes six or nine months, so you can start a rewarding career in Canada fast, with no extensive time requirement or endless fees required. We even prep you for the registration process with your regulatory body so registering to become a licensed midwife will be simple and straightforward.

Your new Canadian career is waiting for you! Let’s get started today, together.

Not ready to enrol but want to learn more?

A representative from the program team is happy to chat with you; fill in our form to get in touch.

Key Information:

Tuition: $11,999 (subject to change)

Program Details:

  • Six or nine months
    • The duration of all courses remains the same for both the six- and nine-month program formats. However, in the six-month offering, you’ll complete some courses concurrently. This structure provides flexibility for you to choose a pace that fits your learning needs and personal circumstances.
  • Start date of Spring 2025 or Fall 2025 so you complete the program in time to write the registration exam in either May or October
  • Online or hybrid courses (other than the clinical clerkship)

The College of Midwives of Ontario Board has already approved the IMPBP in principle as a pathway to registration. We anticipate the approval process to be finalized in early December 2024.

Note: Completion of the IMPBP does not guarantee registration as a midwife. You must confer with the midwifery regulator in your respective provincial or territorial jurisdiction about meeting the registration requirements upon completion of the program.

How To Apply

You must complete an application form and submit the required documents as outlined in the program eligibility criteria. All academic documents must be reviewed by an acceptable credential evaluation service, such as World Education Services, that is a member of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services Canada.

Admission into the IMBPP includes a one-week pre-assessment (CVIM 101) for IEMs who have already been assessed as meeting the eligibility requirements. This pre-assessment ensures you have the necessary clinical skills to progress through the program and can identify gaps in clinical skills or knowledge that will need strengthening.

The pre-assessment includes an overview and assessment over four days, and an interview on the fifth day with members of the Admissions and Review Committee. This committee will inquire about your background, skills, and ability to work with Canada’s diverse populations. A review process is in place to ensure fairness and consistency while maintaining a balance between accessibility and ensuring your ability to succeed in the program.

You must pass these assessments to progress to the remaining courses in the bridging program. You’re also required to contact the midwifery regulator within your province or territory to ensure your eligibility for licensing.

The assessment cost is separate from the course fees.

Note: Applications will open on November 14, 2024.

Courses

Course Duration Delivery Mode

CVIM 101
Midwifery Skills Assessment

This course assesses the essential competencies that are the foundation of midwifery practice, which all midwives must possess to practise safely.

1 week Online/Hybrid

CVIM 110
Introduction to Canadian Midwifery

This course offers students an intensive orientation to all critical aspects of practising midwifery in Canada.

5 weeks Online/Hybrid

CVIM 320
Canada's Healthcare System for Midwives

The goal of this course is to enable students to develop a comprehensive understanding of Canada’s health care system.

5 weeks Online/Hybrid

CVIM 210
Effective Professional Communication for Midwives

This course will enable learners to understand and apply the essential components of effective verbal, non-verbal, and written communication to deliver holistic, person-centred, and anti-racist care.

5 weeks Online/Hybrid

CVIM 410
Orientation to Midwifery Practice in Canada

This course offers students an intensive orientation to all critical aspects of practising midwifery.

5 weeks Online/Hybrid

CVIM 310
Knowledge and Skill Enhancement

This four-week course allows the participant to review and develop core competencies in midwifery to a level that meets entry-to-practice requirements.

4 weeks Online/Hybrid

CVIM 610
Clinical Clerkship

This course consists of a 12-week clinical placement with a midwifery practice, presenting the opportunity to practice midwifery with a caseload of 14 to 20 clients (under supervision) to gain the confidence and skills required to practice as a midwife in Canada.

12 weeks

In Person

CVIM 611 (optional)
Extended Clinical Clerkship

The goal of this course is to provide students with an extension to their placement to gain more practice with skills where gaps are evident.

4 weeks In Person

Placement and Mentorship Opportunities

The IMPBP’s clinical placement enhances your practical skills. The placement typically lasts 12 weeks, with an optional four-week extension, and is timed to allow you to complete the program in preparation for the May or October Canadian CMRE.

During the placement, you’ll enjoy mentorship and support activities to help you with job preparation. (You’ll also have four days off per month of free time.) The IMPBP will have placements in rural and remote locations where the need is greatest, potentially offering better employment opportunities.

The placement includes tailored learning plans to address any gaps in your professional experience. Following the placement, you’ll complete a mini-intensive to prepare for the CMRE.

You’ll be assigned a mentor for the duration of your placement, and participate in problem-based learning, case studies, peer feedback and group discussions.

Admission Criteria

Eligible applicants must have the following:

  • Completed a recognized midwifery education program
  • Credential assessment report from an acceptable credential evaluation service showing completion of a recognized midwifery education program (you can use any credential assessment services, as long as they are part of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services Canada; the program must be a recognized or an accredited midwifery education program in the jurisdiction where it was completed and at the time when it was completed).
  • Practiced midwifery full-time after completion of a midwifery education program for a minimum of six months
  • Practiced midwifery in the role of primary midwife within the past 10 years, and can provide evidence of having attended 100 births
    • IEMs will be required to share contact information from a supervisor so that we can verify these numbers, and must also provide references. You must have acted as the most responsible professional managing the delivery at these births.
    • A maximum of 60 of these births can occur during their midwifery education. A minimum of 40 of these births must have happened as a practicing midwife after completing midwifery education. This work period may have been paid, voluntary, or a postgraduate work placement.
  • Meet English language proficiency requirements, which can be taken through the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Examination, or Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP), or the Pearson Test of English (PTE). For test score requirements, refer to the table below.
  • Ability to work in Canada, and have Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status, or be a Protected Person in Canada (refugee) with official permission to work in Canada
  • A copy of your permanent resident card, or proof of Canadian citizenship or Authorization under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act?(Canada) to engage in employment in Canada.

Accepted English Language Tests and Scores

Accepted English Language Tests Minimum Score Required
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – Academic Format Reading: Level 7
Writing: Level 7
Listening; Level 7
Speaking: Level 7
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) Reading: Level 9
Writing: Level 9
Listening: Level 8
Speaking: Level 9
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) Reading: 78-87
Writing: 88-89
Listening: 71-81
Speaking: 84-88

 

International students with an undergraduate degree or formal education in midwifery or equivalent from a recognized post-secondary institution, who have completed a midwifery education program anywhere in the world, are also eligible. Study and work permit holders with a midwifery background are also eligible to apply.

Completion Requirements

  • Seven courses

Once you successfully complete the bridging program, you’ll be recommended to the regulator in your province to write the CMRE exam. You must also meet the other requirements for registration as prescribed by the regulator in the provincial jurisdiction in which you’re planning to practice.

Note: Completion of the IMPBP does not guarantee registration as a midwife. You must confer with the midwifery regulator in your respective provincial or territorial jurisdiction about meeting the registration requirements upon completion of the program.

Frequently Asked Questions

What credentials do I need to practice midwifery in Canada? What are midwives qualified to do here?

Midwifery is a regulated profession in Canada, and midwives must be registered with the regulatory college in their respective province or territory to be able to practice.

How a midwife can practice within their jurisdiction is governed by their regulatory, so while midwives provide care to pregnant people throughout the antenatal and postpartum period across Canada, the way midwives practice may vary.

Midwives in Canada often work alongside other midwives within their practice to provide 24-hour support to their pregnant clients. Beyond pregnancy care, midwives also provide a range of sexual and reproductive health services such as contraception counseling, diagnostic testing, and physical exams.

Can I work another job during the program?

You can work part-time during the study portion of the program. You can’t work during your placement.

Financial Support

If you are looking for loan options, you can consider micro-financing via Windmill Microlending. Windmill Microlending offers low-interest loans up to $15,000 and career support services to skilled immigrants and refugees seeking to achieve their career goals in Canada. The loan can be used toward:

  • Foreign credential recognition
  • Career change
  • Professional development or upskilling
  • Relocation for employment within Canada
  • Tuition and course fees (up to two years of education and training)
  • Language courses
  • Travel expenses to take courses or exams not locally available
  • Books, course materials, and work equipment
  • Living allowance (rent, utilities, groceries, caregiving)

Other microlending options

  • Ontario's Achev's Accelerating Career Advancement program: Funded by the Government of Canada, this program provides financial loans up to $30,000, accreditation support, and career counselling to internationally trained Ontario residents looking to return to their chosen profession. Interested applicants can submit the intake assessment survey.

You may also be eligible for grants or loans from your own province.

Examples include:


Contact Us

Phone: (416) 979-5000, ext. 556979
Email: impbp@torontomu.ca.

Some of our partners include the College of Midwives of Ontario (CMO), the Canadian Midwifery Regulators Council (CMRC), and the Saskatchewan College of Midwives.