Applications for registration as Pharmacists in Hong Kong involving Pharmacy graduates from the UK

The policy of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board regarding registration of pharmacists in Hong Kong includes the requirements that applicants must:

1. Have completed tertiary education of not less than three full academic years or be professionally qualified in the country where they received their education

2. Should have relevant pre-registration training or post registration experience of not less than one year in the country where they undertook their studies.

However, under current UK immigration policy, students are not able to obtain tier 1 visas for undertaking pre-registration training. They may apply for tier 2 visas if employers meet the salary requirement.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) has launched a sponsorship scheme for international students, however this only runs until July 2016.

As such, students face the prospect of not meeting registration requirements in Hong Kong when returning to Hong Kong after undergraduate pharmacy study, and universities should consider this issue when communicating to prospective students.

Please see the attached PDF for the letter from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.