General Application Info
We Do Not Pre-Screen Applications
You must create an account in order to apply to the ASPB and pay applicable application fees before your application will be reviewed. Please read the "Quick Start Information Sheet" complete with screen-shots of the application process.
Application, reinstatement application and registration fee information is available on the membership fees page. Registration renewal information can be found on the FAQ tab Registration Management.
Previous registrants and applicants can find information here about reinstating to the register and re-applying
Application, reinstatement application and registration fee information is available on the membership fees page. Registration renewal information can be found on the FAQ tab Registration Management.
Previous registrants and applicants can find information here about reinstating to the register and re-applying
Application Queue
Be advised that your application joins the queue for review once all required information has been received (status indicated as “Complete.”) Applications join the review queue in order of completion, so there are applications ahead of yours. The queue is processed by the Registrar and Registration Committee so the administration cannot advise you as to when your application will be reviewed for a decision.
Typically, it takes from four to six months from when an application becomes complete for it to make it onto the committee agenda. An application status will indicate 'Reviewed' when the Registrar has reviewed the application in anticipation of appearing on the Agenda in the next month or two for decision.
To ensure you do not miss communication from the ASPB regarding your application (and registration!) please manage the following email addresses so they do not go to spam or get caught in your email filters: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].
Typically, it takes from four to six months from when an application becomes complete for it to make it onto the committee agenda. An application status will indicate 'Reviewed' when the Registrar has reviewed the application in anticipation of appearing on the Agenda in the next month or two for decision.
To ensure you do not miss communication from the ASPB regarding your application (and registration!) please manage the following email addresses so they do not go to spam or get caught in your email filters: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].
Application Status
You can check the status of your application on your profile at anytime. We will contact you if information is missing from your application, or when a decision has been made. Missing information will be indicated in your user portal in the section "Waiting on Info."
For those applying for Professional Biologist or Registered Biologist status, if you wish an efficient review, ensure you read through the FAQ page and follow direction provided, especially when providing information about your experience in the practice of biology. Please note that the Practice of Biology experience document is not the same as a résumé. You will almost certainly delay your application if you simply choose to copy and paste your résumé onto your application and provide very little detail about what you have been doing.
You can check out the Become a Member pages for more information. You may also want to check out the How to Become a Member presentation, you can access that here.
For applicants that have recently graduate or complete their program, transcripts MUST show your degree is conferred/granted, so please apply after you have convocated.
For those applying for Professional Biologist or Registered Biologist status, if you wish an efficient review, ensure you read through the FAQ page and follow direction provided, especially when providing information about your experience in the practice of biology. Please note that the Practice of Biology experience document is not the same as a résumé. You will almost certainly delay your application if you simply choose to copy and paste your résumé onto your application and provide very little detail about what you have been doing.
You can check out the Become a Member pages for more information. You may also want to check out the How to Become a Member presentation, you can access that here.
For applicants that have recently graduate or complete their program, transcripts MUST show your degree is conferred/granted, so please apply after you have convocated.
College of Applied Biology Applicants
A R.P.Bio from British Columbia who wishes to become a P. Biol. in Alberta is required to complete an ASPB membership application form, be confirmed as an R.P.Bio in good standing by the BC CAB Registrar, and pay the ASPB membership fee. All regulated members must also complete an ethics quiz as prescribed by the Association.
To start the process of becoming an ASPB member, please fill out an online application form showing that you are a BC CAB member, then request a form be sent to you by emailing [email protected]. After you complete the form sent to you, please submit to BC CAB for processing.
Alberta’s obligations under the CFTA vis a vis British Columbia
In Alberta, the only regulated category for biologists is professional biologist (P. Biol.). Therefore, we have a labour mobility obligation to recognize other professional biologists who are certified in Canadian provinces and territories and who may be seeking certification in Alberta. Alberta’s labour mobility obligations only extend to certified workers who are fully certified and not to workers with an “in training” designation or who have yet to meet all of the requirements for full certification/registration.
Unregulated occupations in Alberta (registered biologists, registered biologists in training, registered biologist technologists and registered biologist technologists in-training) fall outside of Alberta’s labour mobility obligations under Chapter 7 (Labour Mobility) of the CFTA or Article 13 (Labour Mobility) of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA).
Under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, if an Alberta registered technologist in biology applies for certification in British Columbia (where the occupation is regulated) they are going from a jurisdiction where their occupation is unregulated (Alberta) to a jurisdiction where their occupation is regulated (British Columbia). In this case an Alberta registered technologist in biology would need to apply as a new applicants in British Columbia; they cannot apply through labour mobility as their occupation is not regulated in Alberta. It would then be up to British Columbia to determine if Alberta’s registered technologist in biology meet their entry-to-practice requirements (including occupational standards) to be certified in British Columbia.
Categories other than Professional Biologist (P. Biol.) should seek to satisfy the requirements of the BC College of Applied Biology as set by their governing body and legislation.
To start the process of becoming an ASPB member, please fill out an online application form showing that you are a BC CAB member, then request a form be sent to you by emailing [email protected]. After you complete the form sent to you, please submit to BC CAB for processing.
Alberta’s obligations under the CFTA vis a vis British Columbia
In Alberta, the only regulated category for biologists is professional biologist (P. Biol.). Therefore, we have a labour mobility obligation to recognize other professional biologists who are certified in Canadian provinces and territories and who may be seeking certification in Alberta. Alberta’s labour mobility obligations only extend to certified workers who are fully certified and not to workers with an “in training” designation or who have yet to meet all of the requirements for full certification/registration.
Unregulated occupations in Alberta (registered biologists, registered biologists in training, registered biologist technologists and registered biologist technologists in-training) fall outside of Alberta’s labour mobility obligations under Chapter 7 (Labour Mobility) of the CFTA or Article 13 (Labour Mobility) of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA).
Under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, if an Alberta registered technologist in biology applies for certification in British Columbia (where the occupation is regulated) they are going from a jurisdiction where their occupation is unregulated (Alberta) to a jurisdiction where their occupation is regulated (British Columbia). In this case an Alberta registered technologist in biology would need to apply as a new applicants in British Columbia; they cannot apply through labour mobility as their occupation is not regulated in Alberta. It would then be up to British Columbia to determine if Alberta’s registered technologist in biology meet their entry-to-practice requirements (including occupational standards) to be certified in British Columbia.
Categories other than Professional Biologist (P. Biol.) should seek to satisfy the requirements of the BC College of Applied Biology as set by their governing body and legislation.
Internationally Trained Applicants
Please click here for more information.
A note on alternative submissions, if you are experiencing a refugee like situation, please use the IQAS or WES opportunities to assist you in meeting the appropriate academic documentation requirements.
If your situation prevents you from providing references that meet the appropriate reference criteria, please email the Registrar at [email protected] to discuss alternatives.
Refugee-like situation: As defined by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), persons in a refugee-like situation are groups of persons who are outside their country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but for whom refugee status has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained. A refugee-like situation may occur when one or more of the following criteria affect the country or the citizens of that country: (a) Institutions in the country are destroyed, damaged, closed or otherwise not functioning normally, (b) institutions exist a conflict zone and are not answering verification inquiries or sending official copies directly to institutions in other countries, or (c) concerns for an applicant's safety or the safety of others prevent the applicant from contacting people or institutions in or associated with the country.
If you are experiencing a refugee-like situation:
IQAS: provide any documentation to IQAS you may have that reflects education you completed outside of Canada. IQAS will carefully review your documents and undertake research to determine if we can complete an assessment. https://www.alberta.ca/iqas-employment-apply.aspx
WES: WES strives to open pathways for individuals with international credentials. Individuals who have been displaced as a result of adverse circumstances in their country and have limited proof of academic achievements may be eligible for an alternative credential assessment through the WES Gateway Program. https://www.wes.org/ca/credential-evaluations/#for-refugees-and-displaced-persons.
If you have exhausted the efforts of IQAS or WES to verify your education and you remain unable to provide the appropriate academic documentation to meet the requirements, please contact the Registrar at [email protected] to discuss alternatives.
Special Consideration: If you require accommodation to provide submissions orally or means other than writing, please call the ASPB office at 403-264-1273 or email the Registrar at [email protected] to discuss alternatives.
A note on alternative submissions, if you are experiencing a refugee like situation, please use the IQAS or WES opportunities to assist you in meeting the appropriate academic documentation requirements.
If your situation prevents you from providing references that meet the appropriate reference criteria, please email the Registrar at [email protected] to discuss alternatives.
Refugee-like situation: As defined by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), persons in a refugee-like situation are groups of persons who are outside their country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but for whom refugee status has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained. A refugee-like situation may occur when one or more of the following criteria affect the country or the citizens of that country: (a) Institutions in the country are destroyed, damaged, closed or otherwise not functioning normally, (b) institutions exist a conflict zone and are not answering verification inquiries or sending official copies directly to institutions in other countries, or (c) concerns for an applicant's safety or the safety of others prevent the applicant from contacting people or institutions in or associated with the country.
If you are experiencing a refugee-like situation:
IQAS: provide any documentation to IQAS you may have that reflects education you completed outside of Canada. IQAS will carefully review your documents and undertake research to determine if we can complete an assessment. https://www.alberta.ca/iqas-employment-apply.aspx
WES: WES strives to open pathways for individuals with international credentials. Individuals who have been displaced as a result of adverse circumstances in their country and have limited proof of academic achievements may be eligible for an alternative credential assessment through the WES Gateway Program. https://www.wes.org/ca/credential-evaluations/#for-refugees-and-displaced-persons.
If you have exhausted the efforts of IQAS or WES to verify your education and you remain unable to provide the appropriate academic documentation to meet the requirements, please contact the Registrar at [email protected] to discuss alternatives.
Special Consideration: If you require accommodation to provide submissions orally or means other than writing, please call the ASPB office at 403-264-1273 or email the Registrar at [email protected] to discuss alternatives.
Protecting your Documents
Effective January 1, 2016, any applicant documentation received by the Society which is not linked to a current, paid-in-full application will be destroyed after 90 days.
At the ASPB, we are committed to the security of our Applicant and Member information. As such, we are obligated to take care of personal information under our custody – but only when we are given complete consent by the individual submitting it to our organization. Without complete consent, however, we are not authorized to retain documentation within our files.
Complete consent occurs only when an application has been submitted and paid for in full.
Applicants have a 90-day window to collect and submit all required information and records. (For example, if you submitted documentation prior to October 1, 2019, and it is not linked to a submitted and paid-for application, it will be destroyed by January 31, 2020.)
At the ASPB, we are committed to the security of our Applicant and Member information. As such, we are obligated to take care of personal information under our custody – but only when we are given complete consent by the individual submitting it to our organization. Without complete consent, however, we are not authorized to retain documentation within our files.
Complete consent occurs only when an application has been submitted and paid for in full.
Applicants have a 90-day window to collect and submit all required information and records. (For example, if you submitted documentation prior to October 1, 2019, and it is not linked to a submitted and paid-for application, it will be destroyed by January 31, 2020.)
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Application fees, including reclassification applications, are non-refundable and non-transferrable. Membership fees and late renewal fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. More information regarding fees can be found here.
Where and When to Send Transcripts
The ASPB will accept transcripts, IQAS and/or WES assessments, submitted digitally from educational institutions, IQAS and/or WES or their third party provider (for example, MyCreds). Transcripts or other educational documentation from other sources will not be accepted. All education undertaken outside Canada must have a Specialized IQAS Assessment completed OR Comprehensive Course-by-Course Report from World Education Services (WES).
Current BIT and RBIT applicants do not need to resubmit transcripts when applying for P. Biol. or R. Biol.
Applicants to the Student category do not need to send transcripts, but do need to specify their academic program when they apply online. Please note, transcripts MUST show your degree or program is conferred/granted, so please apply after your degree is conferred.
Please have digital submissions sent to this email address: [email protected]
Once you have paid your application fee, you must arrange to have your educational institution, IQAS and/or WES, to send your official sealed transcripts/documents directly to:
ASPB Membership Processing
370, 105 12 Ave SE
Calgary, AB, Canada T2G 1A1
Current BIT and RBIT applicants do not need to resubmit transcripts when applying for P. Biol. or R. Biol.
Applicants to the Student category do not need to send transcripts, but do need to specify their academic program when they apply online. Please note, transcripts MUST show your degree or program is conferred/granted, so please apply after your degree is conferred.
Please have digital submissions sent to this email address: [email protected]
Once you have paid your application fee, you must arrange to have your educational institution, IQAS and/or WES, to send your official sealed transcripts/documents directly to:
ASPB Membership Processing
370, 105 12 Ave SE
Calgary, AB, Canada T2G 1A1
Enter your content hereThe ASPB will accept transcripts, IQAS and WES assessments submitted digitally from educational institutions, IQAS and WES (or their third party provider - for example, MyCreds) Please have digital submissions sent to this email address: [email protected]Once you have paid your application fee. You must arrange to have your educational institution, IQAS or WES to send your official sealed transcripts/documents directly to:ASPB Membership Processing