Canada's NEB Paused PSA Exam Sittings. Here's What It Means and What Comes Next.

If you are an internationally trained veterinarian working toward Canadian licensure, you may have already received the notice or heard through the community: the National Examining Board paused PSA examination sittings in April 2026. In a direct communication to candidates who inquired, the NEB confirmed the pause and offered its first public statement on what comes next.

The NEB's message, in full: "In April, the NEB Board paused PSA examination sittings and initiated consultations with provincial regulatory authorities. The next steps of the NEB will be focused on ensuring the examination pathway remains fair, efficient, and aligned with licensure requirements across Canada. Our goal is to streamline the process while maintaining national standards and supporting candidates through a more efficient and accessible pathway. We recognize this situation has created uncertainty and appreciate candidates' patience while discussions continue."

For candidates mid-pathway, this is not a small thing. Here is the context you need to understand what the PSA pause actually means, who it affects, and what is known about where things are headed.

What the PSA Is and Why It Matters

The Preliminary Surgical Assessment is a practical examination that serves as a prerequisite to the Clinical Proficiency Examination — the final step in the NEB examination sequence for internationally trained veterinarians seeking Canadian licensure. The NEB examination process comprises four exams measuring entry-level competence in the theory and practice of veterinary medicine in a North American context: the Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination, the NAVLE, the Preliminary Surgical Assessment, and the Clinical Proficiency Examination. Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine

A graduate of a non-accredited veterinary school must complete all four parts of the examinations in order to be granted a Certificate of Qualification. That Certificate of Qualification is what opens the door to provincial licensure. Without it, full unrestricted practice in Canada is not possible. Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine

The PSA sits in the middle of that sequence. You cannot proceed to the CPE without it. That is why a pause in PSA sittings — with no confirmed timeline for resumption — creates real uncertainty for candidates who have already passed the BCSE and NAVLE and are waiting to move forward.

Who Is Affected

The pause primarily affects internationally trained veterinarians — graduates of non-AVMA-accredited veterinary schools — who are working through the full NEB examination sequence. Until a restricted member has successfully completed the PSA, the member must practice under direct supervision of a practicing veterinarian member. This means candidates currently holding provisional supervised registration in their province are stuck in a supervised practice status until the PSA pathway reopens and they can move through to the CPE and full licensure. Ucdavis

Candidates who have already completed the PSA and are waiting on the CPE are not directly affected by this pause. The CPE itself continues to operate, with a 2026 CPE Manual of Administration in place and a full CPE waiting list currently open through the NEB Candidate Portal. Govhawk

What the NEB Has Said

The NEB's statement points to consultations with provincial regulatory authorities as the reason for the pause and frames the review as an effort to ensure the pathway is fair, efficient, and aligned with licensure requirements across Canada. The language signals a potential structural review of the PSA rather than a temporary administrative interruption.

The NEB has not provided a specific timeline for when PSA sittings will resume, or confirmed what changes to the examination pathway may result from the provincial consultations currently underway. The statement that their goal is to "streamline the process while maintaining national standards and supporting candidates through a more efficient and accessible pathway" suggests the review may result in modifications to how the PSA is structured, delivered, or required — but nothing has been confirmed.

What Candidates Should Do Right Now

If you are an internationally trained veterinarian mid-pathway, there are practical steps worth taking now regardless of how the PSA review resolves.

Contact the NEB directly through the NEB Candidate Portal messaging system at neb-bne@cvma-acmv.org and request a status update specific to your file. General communications like the one referenced in this article confirm the pause. A direct inquiry about your individual situation may yield more specific guidance about how your timeline is affected.

Contact your provincial regulatory body. Licensing authority in any province may require further examinations in addition to or in lieu of those required to obtain a Certificate of Qualification, and applicants are reminded to consult with the licensing body in the province in which they wish to seek a license regarding applicable requirements. Your provincial body may have received updates from the NEB consultations that are not yet publicly communicated. Smithsonian's National Zoo

If you are currently practicing under provincial supervised registration, understand your obligations clearly. A restricted member must pass the Clinical Proficiency Examination within two years, failing which, a member's registration may be revoked. If the PSA pause extends your timeline significantly, it is worth raising this directly with your provincial body to understand whether your two-year window is affected by circumstances outside your control. Ucdavis

Document everything. Keep records of your correspondence with the NEB, your provincial body, and any communications about the pause. If the review results in policy changes, having a clear record of your standing in the queue will matter.

The Bigger Picture

The NEB examination pathway has long been one of the most discussed — and most frustrating — aspects of the internationally trained veterinarian experience in Canada. The sequence of four examinations, combined with waitlists, supervised practice requirements, and provincial variation in how registration is handled, creates a lengthy and often uncertain road to full licensure.

The pause in PSA sittings lands in that context. Candidates who have invested years in working through this process, and who may have relocated families, accepted supervised positions, and organized their lives around a licensure timeline, are now waiting on an outcome that has not been defined.

The NEB's stated intent — a more efficient and accessible pathway — is the right direction. Whether the outcome of the provincial consultations will actually deliver that remains to be seen. Vet Candy will continue to follow this story and report any updates as they become available.

If you have questions or experiences related to the NEB PSA pause that you would like to share with the Vet Candy community, reach out to us at hello@myvetcandy.com.