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Alberta New Graduates

HomeHCAApply To Be an HCAApplicantsAlberta New Graduates

This page describes the process for applicants who have graduated from an approved Health Care Aide program in Alberta in the past four years.

To apply to the CLHA as an Alberta New Graduate, you should not have been registered previously. If this does not describe you, please take the applicant quiz.

Provisional Registration

Alberta new graduates have two options to apply with the CLHA:

  • Apply for Provisional registration and the Alberta HCA Registration Examination (AHRE): if you are successful in applying, you will receive a Provisional permit and be enrolled to write the AHRE.
  • Apply for the AHRE only: if you are successful in applying, you will only be able to write the AHRE. You will not receive a practice permit in Alberta. If you wish to work in Alberta after writing the AHRE, you will be required to submit an application to the CLHA.

What Is Provisional Registration?

Provisional registration provides a temporary practice permit. This will allow you to work as an HCA under supervision while waiting to write the AHRE.

Registrants with a Provisional practice permit are recognized as a Health Care Aide and may carry out the activities that they are competent to perform.

Upon approval of your Provisional application, you will receive a final invoice. This invoice covers the cost of a Provisional practice permit and writing the AHRE. This invoice must be paid in full before a practice permit will be issued. For a list of current fees please see: Fee Schedule.

You can look up the expiry date for your Provisional permit on your MyCLHA account. You may extend your Provisional registration up to a maximum of one year from the date it was initially issued. After one year, or if a Provisional registrant chooses not to extend their permit, the registration will not be renewed. If you choose not to extend your Provisional permit, you will forfeit any remaining time.

Upon successful completion of the AHRE, the HCA holding a Provisional practice permit is eligible for an Active practice permit and they are automatically added to the general register.

Policy: Provisional Registration

Review Application Requirements Before You Apply

As an Alberta New Graduate, you will need to prepare the following before you can submit a completed application for provisional registration. See our Registration Requirements policy for more information.

  • $100 application fee: see Fee Schedule for more information.
  • A criminal record check completed through Backcheck.
  • Two forms of valid ID: see List of Valid ID for more information.
  • Official transcripts: transcripts must be sent from your school directly to the CLHA. The CLHA will also accept official transcripts sent through MyCreds to hcastudentservices@clha.com.
  • Evidence of professional liability insurance must be provided prior to an active practice permit being issued, see: Professional Liability Insurance for more information.
  • Applicants previously/currently registered with any regulatory body must provide Verification of Registration as part of your application. You may be required to complete the Verification of Registration Form if you are/or have been registered in another jurisdiction.
  • Completion of the Understanding HCA Professional Regulation module.

How to Apply

Applying for a Provisional Permit

  1. Create your account on MyCLHA. To submit an application, you must have an account with MyCLHA.
  2. Once logged in, select APPLY under Provisional to begin the New Graduate application.
  3. Submit the application and pay the $100 application fee.
  4. If your paid application has any missing requirements, the CLHA will contact you within five business days.
  5. You will receive a decision letter and final invoice for your permit fee within ten business days of all application requirements being met. You will need to meet all application requirements before you receive a decision letter.
  6. You will receive information on how to register for the AHRE within ten business days of your invoice being paid. You will be placed in the first available testing window and be able to register for a specific testing day. For more information, see AHRE

We encourage all applicants to check their requirements through their MyCLHA account regularly. Monitoring your application status is important. Please remember, it is your responsibility to ensure that all necessary documents are submitted to the CLHA.

We are currently experiencing high email volumes. While we will strive to meet our service standard timelines, there may be some unavoidable delays.

Applicants and registrants can expect these standards when interacting with the Registration Department at the CLHA.

  • Emails will be returned within three business days.
  • Applications received with payment will be reviewed within five business days.
  • Completed applications will be processed with a decision letter within ten business days.
  • Invoices for approved applications will be available when the decision letter is issued.
  • A practice permit will be issued immediately upon receipt of the final invoice payment.

The Registration Service Standards policy outlines registration service standards at the CLHA.