Practicing in British Columbia

Midwives who have been educated in an approved midwifery program in or outside of British Columbia must seek registration with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM)

Midwives in British Columbia are self employed individuals who are able to bill the Medical Services Plan of B.C. (MSP) for their services. In addition, midwives are legally permitted private pay clients and can also bill for certain special populations through Medavie Blue Cross.

While most registered midwives in BC bill MSP directly, many other alternative payment models exist and are in development. With the ratification of our MMA (2022 - 2025), all Midwives who were on a contract held by their Health Authority will now be transitioned over to a Midwifery Service Contract. For further information please contact Trin Gonzalez at trinidad.gonzalez@bcmidwives.com.

Returning to Midwifery Practice

The Return to Practice Guide was developed for those who are returning to midwifery practice after a 3-year absence from clinical practice, or are returning to a standard model of midwifery practice after working in an alternate practice arrangement (APA) where prenatal, intrapartum care in home/hospital, and/or postpartum care was not provided for 3 years.

The guide walks through the requirements and approximate timelines to help plan Supervised Practice Experience (SPE) and return to practice. Please see the Return to Practice Guide here: Guide to Returning to Practice (PDF)

Inter-Provincial Registrants

Midwives who are currently registered in other Canadian jurisdictions and who meet the requirements for general or full registration without restrictions or conditions, can register to practice midwifery in BC.

An application for a registration package and the policy on Inter-Provincial Registration Reciprocity is available from the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).

Internationally Educated Midwives

All internationally educated midwives who wish to register to practice midwifery in British Columbia must first complete the UBC’s Internationally Educated Midwifery Bridging Program (IEMBP) and seek registration with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).

The IEMBP supports midwives who have been educated outside of Canada in making the transition to working in the Canadian health care system and in the BC midwifery model of practice.

Information on applying to UBC’s Internationally Educated Midwifery Bridging Program is available on their website.