Key Takeaways
-
OPRA is used as a pathway to registration in both Australia and New Zealand with the same exam, run by the same body (the APC), but confirmed through two different regulators.
-
For Australia, OPRA eligibility applies if your qualification was completed in any country other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, or the USA this route is officially called the Knowledge Stream (formerly Stream A) by the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC).
-
For New Zealand, the same exam is delivered as the NZ OPRA exam on behalf of the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand (PCNZ), for candidates on the Non-Recognised Equivalent Qualifications Route (Non-REQR).
-
Graduates from Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the USA who are also currently registered in that country skip OPRA and instead follow the Competency Stream, sitting the CAOP exam instead.
-
In the 2022–23 financial year alone, the APC received Skills Assessment applications from candidates who completed their qualifications in 72 different countries.
-
Country eligibility alone doesn't guarantee a pass structured preparation, like the Elite Expertise OPRA course, plays a major role in exam readiness.
Quick Summary
Pharmacists from any country outside Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA sit OPRA to get their skills recognized, and the exam works as a pathway to registration in both Australia and New Zealand. This blog breaks down exactly who qualifies for each country, who's exempt, and how to prepare, based only on official APC and PCNZ sources.
Which Countries Are Eligible for the OPRA Exam?
OPRA is relevant for pharmacy graduates targeting both Australia and New Zealand it's the same underlying exam, run by the APC, but it supports two separate registration systems.
For Australia: the Australian Pharmacy Council is direct about this the Knowledge Stream, which requires the OPRA exam, applies if you completed your pharmacy qualification in any country other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, or the USA. In practice, this means pharmacy graduates from countries such as India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Nigeria, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and dozens of others fall into this route by default.
For New Zealand: the same exam delivered as the NZ OPRA exam, applies to candidates approved by the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand under the Non-REQR pathway again, broadly for pharmacists whose qualification isn't automatically recognised in New Zealand.
If your degree is from one of the six countries exempted on the Australian side, you generally follow a different pathway rather than OPRA covered next.
Which Countries Are Exempt From Sitting OPRA?
The APC's Competency Stream is reserved for graduates of Canada, Ireland, the UK, or the USA, provided they are also currently registered to practice pharmacy in that same country. Instead of OPRA, this group takes the CAOP (Competency Assessment of Overseas Pharmacists) exam, which is a different, competency-focused assessment.
Australian and New Zealand pharmacy graduates don't go through either the Knowledge or Competency Stream in the same way, since their qualifications are already recognised domestically.
How Many Countries Have Actually Applied Through OPRA?
This isn't a small or narrow pathway. According to the APC's own Annual Report, in the 2022–2023 financial year, the Council received Skills Assessment applications from individuals who completed their qualifications in 72 different countries, alongside issuing outcomes to 1,158 Knowledge Stream and Competency Stream candidates that year. This confirms OPRA genuinely serves a globally diverse pool of overseas-trained pharmacists, not a handful of source countries.
Which Countries Are Eligible for OPRA via New Zealand?
New Zealand runs a parallel process. The APC delivers the NZ OPRA exam on behalf of the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand, testing pharmaceutical science knowledge in a New Zealand-specific context. This is used for candidates applying through PCNZ's Non-Recognised Equivalent Qualifications Route (Non-REQR) broadly, pharmacists whose qualification isn't automatically recognised by New Zealand. As with Australia, eligibility for this route is ultimately confirmed by the regulator itself, not by a third party.
What Are the Steps After Confirming Your Country Is Eligible?
| Stream | Who It's For | Exam Required |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge Stream | Qualification from any country other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK, or USA | OPRA |
| Competency Stream | Qualification plus current registration in Canada, Ireland, UK, or USA | CAOP |
| NZ Non-REQR (PCNZ) | Qualification not automatically recognised by New Zealand | NZ OPRA (+ NZPL course) |
Once your country and stream are confirmed, here's the detailed stage-by-stage process for each country:
For Australia:
-
Initial Skills Assessment — submit your documents to the APC to check your eligibility.
-
Skill assessment — after a successful eligibility check, apply for and pass the OPRA exam.
-
English exam — demonstrate English language proficiency via IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, or OET per AHPRA's standard.
-
Provisional registration — once OPRA and the English exam are passed, apply to the Pharmacy Board of Australia (through AHPRA) for provisional registration.
-
Visa for Australia — apply for a skilled visa (e.g. Subclass 190, 498) and complete 75% of 1,575 hours of supervised practice in Australia.
-
Australian internship — during your internship, complete the Australian Intern Pharmacist written and oral exams.
-
Final registration — apply for final registration with the Pharmacy Board of Australia.
For New Zealand:
-
English language — pass a Council-approved English test first: IELTS Academic or OET.
-
Preliminary Review — apply to PCNZ under the Non-REQR pathway, providing your pharmacy degree, evidence of current registration in the country where you qualified, relevant clinical work experience, and your English test pass.
-
Pass the OPRA exam — New Zealand candidates get 2 attempts at OPRA.
-
NZPL course — enrol in and pass the New Zealand Pharmacy Legislation (NZPL) course, covering the legal and ethical responsibilities of pharmacists in New Zealand.
-
Register as an Intern Pharmacist — once OPRA and NZPL are both passed, find an internship and register as an intern pharmacist under supervision.
-
Register in the Intern Scope of Practice with the Pharmacy Council.
-
Enrol in EVOLVE, PCNZ's supervised internship programme.
-
Confirm enrolment — receive Program Enrolment Confirmation from PCNZ.
-
Complete intern training via the MyLearning platform.
-
Apply for Full Registration with PCNZ, after completing EVOLVE and passing the Intern Pharmacist OSCE.
Which Course Can Help You Prepare for OPRA?
Being eligible for OPRA is just the starting line; the exam itself covers 120 multiple-choice questions across the full breadth of pharmaceutical science in a strict 2.5-hour, closed-book format. That's where Elite Expertise's OPRA preparation courses come in. They run separate, dedicated programs for the Australia pathway and the New Zealand pathway, each mapped to that country's registration process.
Both programs share the same underlying structure, designed to take a candidate from foundational pharmacology through to exam-day readiness over 15 weeks. It includes:
-
5 structured modules and 150+ lessons across 300+ hours of live and recorded lectures
-
A week-by-week build through respiratory, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, CNS, infectious disease, oncology, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems followed by dedicated review weeks
-
3,000+ practice questions designed to mirror the real exam's format and pacing
-
Live mock exams conducted with the trainers themselves not just pre-recorded content
-
A dedicated WhatsApp community connecting candidates going through the same preparation journey
-
Regular assignments with direct feedback, plus lifetime access to all course materials
Beyond the content, what stands out is that both courses are taught by pharmacists who are themselves practising clinically in Australia so the teaching reflects real, current pharmacy practice rather than exam theory alone, whether you're headed for Australian or New Zealand registration.
Who Are the Trainers Behind Elite Expertise?
Arief Mohammad — Director & Co-Founder of Elite Expertise. He is KAPS-qualified and an AACP-Accredited Consultant Pharmacist, currently practising as a Clinical Pharmacist at Northern Health.
Harika Bheemavarapu — Director & Co-Founder of Elite Expertise. She is KAPS-qualified and an AACP-Accredited Consultant Pharmacist, currently working as a Clinical Pharmacist and Educator at Monash Health.
Between the two of them, they bring over 10 years of combined experience and have guided more than 10,000 candidates in their OPRA and predecessor-exam preparation journeys.
Final Thoughts
OPRA eligibility isn't limited to a small list of countries it's the default pathway for pharmacy graduates from the vast majority of the world, with only Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the USA following a separate Competency Stream. If you're unsure which stream applies to you, the only reliable way to confirm it is directly through the APC (for Australia) or PCNZ (for New Zealand) candidate portals, since eligibility rules can be updated by these regulators at any time. Once you've confirmed your eligibility, focused, structured preparation like the Elite Expertise OPRA program can make the difference between a first-attempt pass and a costly resit.
Ready to Start Your OPRA Journey?
Not sure which OPRA pathway applies to you? Get expert guidance on eligibility, exam preparation, and your Australia or New Zealand pharmacy registration pathway.
Get Expert OPRA Guidance