Experienced from India, No optician diploma

[Syrus]

Hi

I am new to Canada, landed in calgary 5 months ago. I did bachelor's in arts in India and started working in optician shop. I worked for about 6 years and i am trained now. I have learnt alot but i do not have any optician diploma or degree.

Can i open my own optician shop without a diploma or degree and have no doctor to start with?

I am expert in preparing glasses and i have links in india to buy glass and frames.

suggestions please how do i start with opening a shop here in Calgary.

I have a great location available where i want to open the shop.

Thanks

Syrus

[pseudonym]

You may have better luck asking this question in the Canadian Discussion Forum.

[McAnerin]

In Canada, and in Alberta specifically, you will need to be a licensed dispensing optician if you would like to open your own store. You don't need to have a doctor, but you do need the license. After that, there's a lot of regulations to go through, but that is your first stepping stone. If you're looking to get your license, the closest school is NAIT. (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) You will want to enroll in their Optical Sciences course.

http://www.nait.ca/66561.htm

After finishing school there, (2 - 4 years depending on whether you stop at eyeglasses, or go on to contacts and sight-testing) you will have to successfully complete the NACOR (National Association of Canadian Optician Regulators ) Exam. After that point, you will pay your licensing fee and will be considered a licensed optician. to keep your license, you will need to pay the licensing fee every year, and achieve a certain amount of Continuing Education (CE) credits.

Hopefully this answers your question, also to have your questions better answered, come visit us on the Canadian Discussion Forum!

*Edit

http://www.nacor.ca/About_the_Examination.aspx

That is the link for the NACOR site, the first link is for NAIT.