As the number of Canadian students pursuing optometry education outside Canada continues to grow, so too does the complexity of planning what comes next. Immigration rules, licensing requirements, provincial regulation, and career decision-making all converge at a critical moment – often before students feel fully prepared to address them.
The Future Focus: Cross-Border webinar was designed to meet that need, bringing together expert speakers, recent graduates, and current Optometry students for a practical, student-centered discussion focused on what it really takes to move from optometry school in the US to professional practice in Canada.
A Program Built Around Real Student Questions
The webinar was structured around three complementary sessions, each addressing a distinct but interconnected phase of the student journey:
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Legal and Immigration Considerations
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Career Pathways and Early Professional Decisions
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Coming Home to Practise in Canada
This structure reflected a reality many Canadian optometry students face: career planning is not linear, and decisions in one area such as immigration timing or board exam selection can have lasting implications.
Participants represented a wide range of student cohorts, including Canadian students enrolled in U.S. optometry programs at different stages of training, from pre-clinical years through to final-year students preparing for graduation. Fifteen (15) US-based Optometry Schools were represented among the attendees.
Legal Clarity in an Uncertain Environment
The opening session focused on immigration and work authorization pathways for students studying in the United States. With online forums and social media often amplifying confusion, the presentation emphasized verified information and careful planning.
Students gained clarity around F-1 status, practical training options during and after school, employer-sponsored pathways, and the importance of timing and compliance. The session also underscored the value of individualized guidance, particularly as immigration policies and procedures continue to evolve.
Live questions from students reflected common anxieties—about accelerated programs, externships, travel, and long-term options—but were addressed within a framework of realism rather than alarm.
Career Pathways, Through a Student Lens
The second session shifted tone and format, adopting a group chat–style discussion that placed student voices front and centre. Moderated by a senior optometry student, Nyah Miranda (OD Candidate 2026) and supported by Canadian optometrists, Dr. Allison Scott (President of the Canadian Association of Optometrists) and recent NECO Grad, now practicing in Canada, Dr. Alexandra Baille. The conversation explored what early career decisions actually look like in practice.
Topics ranged from choosing between corporate and private practice environments, to understanding contracts, to building a professional niche without formal residency training. Differences between U.S. and Canadian practice environments were discussed openly, including clinical workflows, measurement systems, access to therapies and scope of practice.
Rather than presenting a single “correct” path, the discussion validated uncertainty and highlighted the value of adaptability, mentorship, and ongoing learning.
Understanding the Path Home to Canada
The final session addressed one of the most pressing questions for Canadian students abroad: how to return home and practise legally and confidently.
This expert-led presentation by Dr. Amanda Olsen, Board member of the Optometry Examining Board of Canada, walked students through the fundamentals of Canadian optometric regulation, including the distinction between professional associations and regulatory colleges, the provincial nature of health-care oversight, and the rationale behind national entry-to-practice examinations.
She addressed the Optometry Examining Board of Canada’s (OEBC) role in setting national competency standards, and recent changes affecting exam acceptance across provinces. Students also gained insight into jurisprudence exams, licensing timelines, and how scope expansion may shape future credentialing.
The extended Q&A that followed highlighted the importance of province-specific planning especially for students considering Quebec, border-region practice, or delayed entry into the Canadian workforce.
Engagement Beyond the Main Stage
Beyond the formal sessions, the webinar emphasized interaction and connection. Sponsor-hosted breakout rooms allowed students to engage directly with industry representatives in smaller settings, fostering informal discussion and networking. These sessions complemented the educational content by exposing students to a range of professional and commercial perspectives within the optometric ecosystem. Visionary Sponsors included Eye Recommend, FYi doctors, OSI Group, and Specsavers. CSI Dry Eye Innovations and Clinical & Refractive Optometry Journal supported the vent as Horizon Sponsors.
To further encourage participation, the event also featured prize draws, reinforcing engagement while keeping the focus on learning and dialogue rather than promotion. Over $2000 of prizes were provided, thanks to the generous support of the sponsors.
A Platform for Informed Decision-Making
Taken together, the Future Focus: Cross-Border webinar demonstrated the value of addressing student concerns early, clearly, and credibly. By combining expert insight, recent graduate experience, and live student interaction, the program offered more than answers—it provided context.
For Canadian optometry students navigating cross-border education and career planning, the message was consistent across all three sessions: informed decisions require accurate information, early preparation, and an understanding that pathways may differ—but remain navigable.
As a Future Focus initiative, the webinar reinforced a broader goal: supporting the next generation of optometrists not just in completing their education, but in successfully transitioning into professional practice—wherever that path may lead.
All three segments of the webinar are available online:
Legal considerations – Eric Lockwood / Dr. Chu (Q&A) https://youtu.be/aHM2-ylofsk
Career Pathways – Group Chat, Nyah Miranda, Drs. Baillie and Scott https://youtu.be/o2XEdTuzCj4
Coming Home to Practice – Dr. Olsen https://youtu.be/iHSj5D7cYQY
