International applicants who have completed education related to opticianry or graduates of an unaccredited opticianry school in Canada interested in applying for PLAR may be accepted for admission if they have a combination of knowledge, skills, experience, and abilities which are substantially equivalent to the requirements set out in the OOM Bylaws for new applicants.

NACOR PLAR Program

The OOM does not independently assess international education. 

The PLAR process assesses the applicant’s knowledge, skills, and experience through a document review, Competency Gap Analysis (CGA), and national examination(s). The CGA is a supervised online multiple-choice assessment that is conducted virtually and can be completed by applicants online from their home country if they are not currently residing in Canada. The CGA evaluates applicants’ strengths and weaknesses based on the National Competencies for Canadian Opticians.PLAR is administered by the National Alliance of Canadian Optician Regulators (NACOR). To begin the process, complete the NACOR PLAR Application Form and return by email to general@nacor.ca.