Entry-to-Practice
Exam (EPE) Info

The EPE will assess your knowledge of—and your ability to apply—specific immigration and citizenship legislation, regulations, procedures, and professional ethics and responsibilities.

The new EPE takes into account the new Essential Competencies for RCIC Practice as the College transitioned in 2020 from knowledge-based to competency-based education and assessment. Accordingly, the College's new EPE aligns with the new competency framework. The competencies tested on the exam are those required for entry-level practice that have the most direct impact on the protection of the public and influence on effective and ethical practice.

Exam Format

• offered electronically online
• closed-book licensing exam consisting of 135 independent and case-based multiple-choice questions to be completed within a 3-hour time limit.
• of the 135 questions, 10 questions are randomly placed for analysis and do not go towards a candidate’s score.

Number of attempts

• You may attempt the exam a maximum of 4 times.
  
• If you are unsuccessful on your 4^th attempt, you are only eligible to apply again after: 
  ○ Completing a waiting period of one year after your 4th attempt, and
  ○ Completing or re-completing the Graduate Diploma Program - either Queen’s University Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law or the D.E.S.S. (en réglementation canadienne et québécoise de l’immigration) offered in French by the University of Montréal.

Exam Application

• To complete the Entry to Practice Exam (EPE) application in the College Portal, create or log in to an existing account. Once logged in, click on the “Initial Licence” tab and then click the “Submit EPE Qualification Application” link to provide your ID and educational information and pay the application fee.  

If your Qualification Application is approved, click the “Submit EPE Registration Application” link to choose the language and request accommodations if needed, then pay the exam fee. You will only see exam dates for which you qualify. 

Deferrals

• If you wish to defer your exam to a later date, you must:
  ○ Log in to the College Portal.
  ○ Submit your EPE Registration Application and pay the exam fee.
  ○ Go to the Initial Licence tab and click on the "Start Entry-to-Practice Deferral Application" button.
  ○ Pay the $75 deferral fee before the identified deadline.
  
  
  

Assessment Accommodations

Accommodation may be offered to candidates with disabilities. If you require an accommodation, please read s.8 of the RCIC EPE Candidate Guide and submit the Assessment Accommodation Request Verification Form on the College Portal when completing your Registration Application (see deadlines).