Key Takeways
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OPRA (Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment) is run by the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) and is used by regulators in both Australia and New Zealand.
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For Australia, OPRA sits inside the APC's Knowledge Stream, which applies if your degree is from anywhere other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, or the USA.
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Your qualification must be equivalent to 4 years of full-time study (post-2006) or 3 years (pre-2006) this covers B.Pharm, M.Pharm, and PhD holders whose base degree meets that threshold.
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For New Zealand, you must first get approval from PCNZ via the Non-Recognised Equivalent Qualifications Route (Non-REQR) before you can even register for OPRA.
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English test scores (IELTS/PTE/OET/) are set by AHPRA and mirrored by PCNZ requirements.
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After OPRA, the pathway splits: Australia leads to provisional registration and a 1,575-hour internship; New Zealand leads to the EVOLVE internship and an OSCE.
If you hold a B.Pharm, M.Pharm, or PhD in Pharmacy and you're dreaming of practising in Australia or New Zealand, the OPRA exam is the door you need to walk through first. The good news: the exam is shared between both countries, but the eligibility route and what happens after you pass are not identical. This guide breaks down exactly who qualifies, sourced only from the official regulators: the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC), the Pharmacy Board of Australia (via AHPRA), and the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand (PCNZ).
What Is the OPRA Exam and Who Runs It?
The OPRA exam checks whether an overseas-trained pharmacist has the biomedical, pharmaceutical, and clinical science knowledge expected of a locally trained pharmacist. It's a closed-book, computer-delivered exam with 120 multiple-choice questions over 2.5 hours, run by the APC.
For Australia, a pass supports your Skills Assessment Outcome, which you then use both for AHPRA provisional registration and for a Department of Home Affairs visa application. For New Zealand, a pass is submitted to PCNZ as part of your Non-REQR registration pathway.
Who Is Eligible to Sit the OPRA Exam?
You fall into the Knowledge Stream (Australia) if your pharmacy qualification was completed anywhere other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, or the USA. For New Zealand, eligibility is decided directly by PCNZ, not by the APC you must receive PCNZ confirmation before you can register for the exam.
What Are the Requirements for B.Pharm, M.Pharm and PhD Holders?
According to the APC, your qualification needs to cover the pharmacy and pharmaceutical science knowledge that forms the foundation for general registration in Australia, and it must be equivalent to:
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4 years of full-time academic study, if completed on or after 1 January 2006, or
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3 years of full-time academic study, if completed before 1 January 2006.
The APC states that evidence of registration is not required at the Knowledge Stream eligibility-check stage. This means a standard B.Pharm (typically a 4-year degree), an M.Pharm, or a PhD in Pharmacy would generally meet the academic threshold, provided the underlying qualification satisfies the duration and content requirement above.
What Is the Eligibility Pathway for Australia?
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Submit your documents to the APC for a Knowledge Stream eligibility check.
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Receive confirmation and register for the OPRA exam via the APC candidate portal.
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Pass OPRA to receive your Skills Assessment Outcome.
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Meet AHPRA's English language requirement.
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Apply to the Pharmacy Board of Australia (via AHPRA) for provisional registration.
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Use your Skills Assessment Outcome to support a skilled visa application (e.g. Subclass 190, 491, 482, 407) with the Department of Home Affairs.
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Complete supervised practice and intern assessments toward general registration.
What Is the Eligibility Pathway for New Zealand?
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Apply to PCNZ for a Preliminary Review / eligibility check under the Non-REQR route.
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Once approved, register for the OPRA exam (run by the APC on PCNZ's behalf) and the NZPL (New Zealand Pharmacy Legislation) course, run by the University of Auckland.
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Pass both OPRA and NZPL within 2 years of your Preliminary Review approval they can be completed in any order.
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Progress into the EVOLVE supervised internship programme.
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Complete the Intern Pharmacist OSCE run by PCNZ.
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Apply for full registration with PCNZ.
What English Language Scores Do You Need?
AHPRA's English Language Skills standard applies to pharmacists registering in Australia, and updated its minimum scores from 23 April 2026. PCNZ separately requires evidence of English proficiency through IELTS or OET as part of its own standard.
| English Language Test | Overall Score | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 |
| PTE Academic | 63 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 76 |
| OET | N/A | 350 | 360 | 350 | 360 |
What Does OPRA Cost and How Is It Structured?
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Conducted By | Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) |
| Format | Computer-delivered, closed-book, multiple choice |
| Duration | 2.5 hours |
| Number of Questions | 120 |
| Fee (Knowledge Stream, Australia) | AU$2,245 |
| Fee (New Zealand Candidates) | AU$2,245 |
| Attempts Allowed (NZ, via PCNZ) | 2 attempts; further attempts at PCNZ's discretion |
What Happens After You Pass OPRA?
In Australia: your Skills Assessment Outcome supports both your AHPRA provisional registration application and your Department of Home Affairs visa application. From there, you move into supervised practice and intern-level assessments toward general registration.
In New Zealand: your OPRA result (alongside NZPL) supports your progress into the EVOLVE internship programme, followed by the Intern Pharmacist OSCE run by PCNZ and then full registration.
Which Course Can Help You Prepare?
Passing OPRA on your first attempt matters a low score means paying the exam fee again and pushing your visa or registration timeline back. Elite Expertise runs a structured 2026 OPRA preparation program covering both the Australian and New Zealand pathways built around:
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5 modules and 150+ lessons spread across 300+ hours of live and recorded lectures
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A 15-week, week-by-week curriculum covering pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, clinical scenarios by body system, and dedicated review weeks
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3,000+ practice questions and regular assignment sessions with feedback
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Mock exams with trainers and a dedicated WhatsApp community of fellow candidates
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Unlimited, lifetime access to course materials
The program is led by Arief Mohammad, a KAPS-qualified, AACP-accredited consultant pharmacist and clinical pharmacist at Northern Health, and Harika Bheemavarapu, a KAPS-qualified, AACP-accredited consultant pharmacist and clinical pharmacist and educator at Monash Health, who between them have guided thousands of candidates through the OPRA and its predecessor exam.
Final Words
Whether you're aiming for Australia or New Zealand, the starting point is the same exam but the eligibility check, the regulator you deal with, and the steps after OPRA are genuinely different. Confirm your specific eligibility directly with the APC (for Australia) or PCNZ (for New Zealand) before you commit to a test date, since qualification and document requirements can be updated by these bodies at any time. Structured preparation, like the Elite Expertise OPRA program, can help you avoid a costly resit and keep your migration timeline on track.
References
Australia Skilled Occupation List AHPRA English Requirements
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