The total fees for all three NCAS assessments are payable in two installments: one while registering for the Computer-based Assessment, and the second while registering for the Simulation Lab Assessment/ Oral Assessment. Should you wish to extend, reschedule, or cancel your assessment within the allowable timeframe, additional administrative fees will apply.
2020 Fee Summary
Role | CBA Fee (CAD) | SLA Fee (CAD) | Total Fee (CAD) |
HCA | $300 | $500 | $800 |
LPN | $500 | $1500 | $2000 |
RN | $500 | $1500 | $2000 |
RPN | $500 | $1500 | $2000 |
Additional Administrative Fees
| CBA Rescheduling Fee (more than 48 hours before your scheduled assessment date) | US $35, payable to Prometric |
CBA Rescheduling Fee (less than 48 hours before your scheduled assessment date). CBA No-Show Fee. Should you fail to appear at your scheduled time and date, you must pay this fee when attempting to reschedule. | CAD $50, payable to NCAS CAD $225, payable to NCAS |
| SLA/OA No-Show Fee. Should you fail to appear at your scheduled time and date, you must pay this fee when attempting to reschedule. Please note that lateness beyond 5 minutes is considered a no-show. | Forfeiture of entire initial SLA assessment fee plus payment of CAD $1,500 upon rescheduling |
CBA or SLA/OA Refund Processing Fee (only applicable 30 or more days from your scheduled assessment date)
| CAD $50
|
| NCAS One-Year Extension Fee | CAD $250 |
SLA Reconsideration Fee
| CAD $350
|
NCAS Policies
Computer-Based
Assessment
Rescheduling
Up to 48 hours in advance of your scheduled CBA, you can reschedule by visiting www.prometric.com. Prometric will charge an administrative fee (USD $35).
If you wish to reschedule 48 hours or less in advance of your scheduled CBA, you must contact NCAS at info@ncasbc.ca; a CAN $50 administrative fee will be applied, payable directly to NCAS.
No-Show
If you do not show up for your scheduled CBA at a Prometric Test Centre, you will forfeit your entire assessment fee. Should you choose to reschedule, you will need to contact us at info@ncasbc.ca. The cost of a rescheduled CBA is CAN $225.
Simulation Lab
Assessment / Oral Assessment
Rescheduling
The NCAS SLA/OA has limited daily capacity, and once scheduled, an SLA/OA spot has been reserved for you. Short notice rescheduling or cancellation may deprive another candidate of the opportunity to take the exam, and historically NCAS has had significant financial penalties in place to discourage this. However, in the context of COVID-19, NCAS is prioritizing Assessment Taker and Staff health and safety, and many of these fees have been relaxed.
At this time, we are allowing rescheduling up to 48 hours prior to your scheduled SLA/OA, though we appreciate as much notice as possible so we can attempt to schedule another Assessment Taker in your place. If you need to reschedule your SLA/OA, please contact us immediately. As we are managing a lengthy waitlist, it may take 2-4 months to reschedule your SLA/OA.
Every Assessment Taker will be required to complete the NCAS Health Assessment Form 48 hours prior to your SLA/OA session. (Please note that NCAS staff complete the same form.) This form will confirm your eligibility to enter the Assessment Centre by screening for potential COVID-19 exposure and symptoms, and it MUST be submitted within 36-48 hours prior to your SLA/OA session. Failure to submit it on time may result in your SLA/OA session being CANCELLED, with a full forfeiture of your assessment fees.
We reserve the right to deny entry to the NCAS Assessment Centre to any person, and strongly encourage you to ensure you are eligible to enter prior to your assessment day. Please review the questions we ask on the NCAS Health Assessment Form ahead of time. As this is a costly and important assessment for you, we encourage COVID-cautious behaviour leading up to your SLA/OA date - for some Assessment Takers, this may involve self-isolation for 14 days prior to your SLA/OA date.
If you are denied entry to the Assessment Centre, your SLA/OA will be rescheduled free of charge.
No-Show / Lateness
If you do not show up for your scheduled SLA/OA session, you will forfeit your entire assessment fee. Should you choose to reschedule, the cost of a rescheduled assessment is CAN $1,500. This cost recognizes the true, non-subsidized value of the assessment.
It is very important to note that we have zero-tolerance for lateness and cannot accommodate Assessment Takers that arrive past their scheduled SLA/OA time. If you are more than 5 minutes late, you will be denied entry to the Assessment Centre and will have forfeited your assessment fees. The cost of rescheduling for those denied entry due to lateness is CAN $1,500. Please plan ahead and arrive with enough time!
Cancellation and Refunds
If you need to cancel either the CBA or SLA/OA, contact us immediately at info@ncasbc.ca . We can only refund assessment fees if the request is received (and acknowledged) 30 days or more in advance of your scheduled appointment. All refunds are subject to a CAD $50 administrative fee, applied to the CBA and SLA/OA respectively.
We cannot offer refunds for cancellations that occur 30 or fewer days prior to your scheduled assessment.
NCAS Cancellations
Like all of us, NCAS is monitoring the evolving situation with COVID-19 and following our Provincial Health Office closely for updates.
Should we be required to close our Assessment Centre at any time, all Assessment Takers will be notified immediately and placed on a prioritized waitlist for when we are able to resume SLA/OA assessments.
Please note that NCAS will not be responsible for any Assessment Taker travel expenses in the event of an Assessment Centre closure.
One-year extension
You have one year to complete the entire NCAS assessment process from the date upon which the regulator or registry referred you. If you feel you will take longer than one year to complete the NCAS assessment process, please contact the regulator or registry to seek an extension. If the regulator or registry approves your request for an extension, NCAS will extend your timeline with an administrative charge of $250.
IMPORTANT: All Assessment Takers who had been referred to NCAS prior to March 12, 2020 will have their standard 12-month deadline extended by five months. We are automatically applying this extension to this group; no specific request or approval is required. This extension will not apply to referrals processed after July 1, 2020. Future extensions may be applied should COVID-19 lead to additional closures.
Reconsiderations
You may request a reconsideration of your NCAS results. A CAN $350 fe e will apply. A reconsideration involves an assessor who did NOT perform your original assessment. The new assessor views all four of the videos that were recorded during your original SLA/OA session. The assessor then scores your performance on each scenario independently. A new report that combines your original computer-based assessment scores, and your new SLA/OA scores, will be prepared. Reconsideration results may appear lower in some thematic competency areas than the results applicants originally received. You are limited to only one reconsideration request.
Should you wish to request a reconsideration of your NCAS results, you must submit a written request to info@ncasbc.ca within 15 business days of receiving your performance report. When requesting a reconsideration, please complete and submit this form to info@ncasbc.ca
Reassessments
NCAS does NOT allow applicants to re-take the SLA/OA or the CBA, except in exceptional circumstances where a candidate has been re-referred by the regulator or registry. If exceptional circumstances apply, please contact the regulator or registry that referred you.
Assessment Accommodations
An accommodation refers to a modification that is made to the assessment environment to support applicants with medical, physical, psychological or learning conditions, or to observe a spiritual or religious observance.
You must apply for an assessment accommodation separately for the CBA and for the SLA/OA. There are three steps.
First, you will be asked whether or not you require an accommodation when you attempt to register and pay for each of the assessments through NCAS. If you indicate that you need an accommodation for either the CBA or SLA, you will be directed to a form.
Second, fill in the form, and submit it, along with the required documentation, to info@ncasbc.ca. We will review your request, and notify you as to whether or not your request has been approved within 14 business days of having received your documentation. Note: You must not schedule your CBA or SLA until after you have received a decision regarding your accommodation.
Third, when scheduling your CBA with Prometric, or SLA/OA with NCAS, you will be asked if you have been approved for an accommodation. If you have been approved, simply indicate yes. Please do not show up at an assessment site seeking an accommodation without having obtained prior approval. You will be denied by the Assessment Centre Coordinator. If you have not yet applied for an accommodation for either the CBA or SLA/OA, but are already scheduled for an assessment, please contact info@ncasbc.ca immediately.
Financial Resources
HCA Career Pathways
& Bursary Program
Health Match BC provides support to future HCAs who aim to register with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry through the HCA Career Pathways & Bursary Program. This program includes financial assistance to complete the NCAS assessment and registration process as well as valuable guidance and connections to education and employment opportunities. The HCA Program Info Sheet describes, in more detail, the supports available through this program.
Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants
Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants - Health is a program for newcomers living in any British Columbia community with training and skills as a Nurse (LPN/RN/RPN) or Health Care Assistant. It is designed to help you build an action plan to navigate the system, receive financial support to get credentials assessed, and upgrade skills.
Click here for more information about eligibility requirements and application instructions.
Additional Financial
Support
