- Level
- 2-Year UG Diploma
- CIP code
- 51.0805
- Duration
- 2 year diploma with 3 pharmacy practicums
- Open intake
-
Off-shoreSep 2027
- Field
- Pharmacy and Medical Laboratory Science
- Institution
- Public College
- Offer speed
- None
- Next deadline
- 2027-09-01
Program overview
Could you spot a misplaced decimal in a child’s dose before it ever reaches the patient? RRC Polytech’s Pharmacy Technician diploma trains that level of accuracy over two years and six terms at the South Winnipeg Campus, and its curriculum is accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP).
Year 1 opens with Introduction to Pharmacy Practice, Pharmaceutical Calculations I, Human Body Systems and Disease States I, Introduction to Microbiology and Communication Skills for Pharmacy Technicians. Term 2 adds Pharmacy Law and Ethics I, Community Pharmacy Practice I, Community Pharmacy Dispensing Laboratory I, Institutional Pharmacy Practice, Institutional Pharmacy Dispensing Laboratory and Pharmaceutical Calculations II. Year 2 covers Sterile Extemporaneous Product Preparation and its laboratory, Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians I and II, Community Pharmacy Practice II, Non-Sterile Extemporaneous Product Preparation and Medication Safety and Risk Management.
Much of the South Winnipeg programme happens in a simulated pharmacy lab with real-world equipment, where you practise compounding, dispensing and final product verification. You must pass the Pharmacy Calculations Zero Tolerance Tests and the Final Product Verification Zero Tolerance Tests. Three unpaid, preceptor-led practicums follow: Community Pharmacy Work Practicum I in Term 3, then the Institutional Pharmacy Work Practicum and Community Pharmacy Work Practicum II in Term 6. A National Qualifying Examination Preparation Seminar readies you for the national exam on the pharmacy technician licensure pathway.
Graduates work as pharmacy technicians in community pharmacies, hospitals and long-term care homes, or in related roles with health insurers, pharmaceutical companies, suppliers and wholesalers. The diploma suits detail-oriented people with strong maths and science who follow procedures exactly, stay accountable under pressure and communicate with empathy.
What it costs per year · indicative
Living cost is an estimate; tuition is the institute's published international fee. We confirm exact, current figures before you pay anything.
Do you qualify?
These are the published minimums. Whether your profile fits — with your marks, gap and budget — is exactly what a free counsellor check confirms.
Admission requirements
Admission requirements:
- Education: Grade 12 with English and Maths, Biology and Chemistry.
- English: IELTS Academic with 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking and 6.5 in writing (national pharmacy licensing standard).
- Also needed: Vulnerable sector and abuse registry checks and immunisations; 65% in each Grade 12 subject.
- PGWP: Yes (CIP 51.0805), up to 3 years. Needs CLB 5.
- Before you apply: CAD 160 application fee. CAD 5,000 deposit within 14 days of the offer, refunded on a study permit refusal if claimed within 30 days. Manitoba PAL required.
English requirements
Documents you'll need typical · we confirm yours
- Valid passport (6+ months validity)
- Class 10 & 12 marksheets and certificates
- English test scorecard (IELTS / PTE / TOEFL) or MOI certificate
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Financial proof — bank statement / loan sanction + GIC
- Passport-size photographs
- Study-gap affidavit or work-experience letter (if applicable)
Getting documents right is the #1 reason applications succeed or get refused — our team checks every file before submission.
Career opportunities
Typical destinations for graduates:
- Community Pharmacy Technician: Retail or community pharmacy
- Hospital Pharmacy Technician: Hospital pharmacy
- Sterile Compounding Technician: Hospital or compounding pharmacy
- Long-Term Care Pharmacy Technician: Long-term care pharmacy provider
- Claims or Drug Plan Specialist: Health insurer
- Pharmaceutical Distribution Technician: Pharmaceutical wholesaler or supplier
Reality check: Working as a regulated pharmacy technician requires passing the national qualifying examination and registering with a provincial regulator, and the language standard for licensure is higher than for most college programmes.
This program is PGWP-eligible, so you can work in Canada for up to 3 years after graduating — a major boost to your ROI and PR pathway.
Campus
South Winnipeg campus
· Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
130 Henlow Bay, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
· Map
About Red River College Polytechnic
- Type
- College
- Ownership
- Public
- Rating
- ★ 4.5
- Established
- 1938
- Reference No.
- O19305836302
