Changing your registration status during renewal

Leaving practice

If you are currently a practising registrant and will be taking a leave from midwifery practice, you have the option of maintaining your registration, becoming a former registrant or converting to non-practising registration. Learn more on the leaving or returning to practice page.

Important:

If your leave from practice starts AFTER April 1, you must renew. After your leave starts, you can apply for a pro-rated refund on your registration fees.
You are not required to convert to non-practising registration while you are on leave, except if you plan on providing services as a second birth attendant (SBA). Only practising or non-practising midwives are authorized to provide SBA services. Please read the Policy for Second Birth Attendants for more information on requirements.
The process to reinstate to practising registration is largely the same, regardless of whether you hold non-practising registration or you let your registration lapse.

Cancelling registration/retiring

If you will not be practising after March 31 and want to cancel your registration, you have two options:

Notify BCCNM: Apply to cancel your registration (instructions and other important information is available on the leaving or returning to practice page).
Do nothing! If you do not renew your registration, your registration will lapse and you will become a former registrant (renewal reminders will continue until March 31).

If you are retiring, we thank you for your service and wish you all the best!

Returning to practice

If you cancelled your registration or became a non-practising registrant before you went on leave and are gearing up to return to practice, what you need to do depends on your return to work date. Instructions on how to reinstate your registration can be found on the leaving or returning to practice page.

Please submit your reinstatement application at least eight weeks before your return to work date.

Reinstatement applications take longer to process because we need to review when you last practised, as well as evidence of good character, fitness to practice and competency requirements.

Submitting an application does not mean you can work

You cannot return to work until you have received a confirmation email from BCCNM that you have been granted practising registration. After your reinstatement is approved, your updated status will also be listed on our midwife online directory.

When are you returning to work?

Before March 31: You must apply to reinstate your practising registration (and receive confirmation of reinstatement), and then complete a renewal application. Apply as early as possible to ensure you have time to reinstate your registration and then renew.
On April 1: Apply to reinstate your practising registration with the start date of April 1.
After April 1: Apply to reinstate your practising registration for your return to work date. If you hold non-practising registration, you should complete the renewal of your non-practising registration while awaiting confirmation of your reinstatement.