I moved to Canada as a nurse!!!!!

I just want to share my personal experience moving to Canada to work as a nurse. And, I would like to encourage anybody who is dreaming to move to Canada to work as a nurse. World Immigration Article

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I moved to Canada as a nurse!!!!!

Originally I am from Russia but I received my Associate of nursing degree in USA. After graduation from Denver School of Nursing, Colorado I had been working as a registered nurse (RN) for almost one year.

I really liked to live and work in USA. But unfortunately I was urged to move from USA due to the fact that I did not have bachelor of Nursing and with ASN I could not get my US work visa. It is funny to see all these ads after that claiming that USA needs nurses. May be it does but it is very difficult for foreign nationality to stay in USA.

So I have less than 6 months to find a good alternative for my US nursing job. Canada was the first on my mind.

There is a flood of information on Internet but it takes forever to read through all these governmental websites trying to decide what province of Canada I am suitable best and I did not really care what part of Canada to go. All Canadian provinces have their own requirements for licensing of foreign nurses. Now I know that they are pretty much similar but at that time I did not know anything about nursing requirements in Canada. I choose Nova Scotia (Atlantic province of Canada) because I always wanted to live near the ocean.

I applied as a RN to the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia to find out that my Associate of nursing degree from US is not enough to be registered as RN here in Canada. I was suggested to come to Halifax, Canada for assessment. For me it was simply impossible.

First I needed a Canadian visa and besides that I would not be able to return to USA (where I could officially stayed only for short 5 months) and I am not saying that it is a LOT of money to travel to Canada, staying in the hotel plus I still could not be sure how this assessment would go.

Close to a nervous breakdown :uhoh3: I found a local consulting and recruitment agency for foreign-trained nurses in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I was suggested do apply as LPN to the College of Licensed Practical nurses of Nova Scotia. Thankfully my application was approved. I was offered a job by this recruitment agency (everything was FREE) and they found me a place to live in the apartment complex located on the territory of my future work. So it was really convenient. I did not need to buy a car right away everything was close.

So to summarize my experience: I started looking for the ways to go to Canada in October 2009. My RN application was refused in November. In December I applied as LPN and by April 2010 I was able to come to Canada. By the way my family came later.

I was just blown away by Canadian Hospitality. I was met at the airport by personal of the agency . They also helped me a lot during my first week in Canada plus found me place to live.

Some more interesting facts from my Canadian experience:

1/ It happened that I came already pregnant to Canada. To my big surprise I was eligible to have one year maternity leave after full time of work during my first 8 months in Canada.

2/ Being an American graduate I even was not asked to go through the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE).

3/ I applied for permanent residency after one year of staying in Canada through Nova Scotia Nominee program though I am still waiting for it. Hope to receive it soon.

So it will be soon almost 2 years in Canada. It seems to me that People at work are more relaxed compare to US.

But I finally got use to this "Canadian slowness ". I love Canada:redbeathe and I think I found my new home. :yeah:

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NataliaK

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Wow ,congratulations!!! I am happy for you. Reading your post gave me hope, am not gonna give up though some threads here discourage one that there are no jobs for IEN, am glad you shared your success story. God Bless you.

Could you kindly let me know the name of the IEN recruitment agency that assisted you. My email address [email protected]. God bless you.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

The cap for nurses at them moment is closed and may open up in June but who nurses may not be on the list.

Things change and you may find you have to take the Canadian exam for pn and forNS I haveseenless and less jobs advertised or seen jobs advertised over and over again but employers not employing anyone

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Specializes in education.

Welcome to Canada eh!

The immigration cap for registered nurses under the skilled worker program was reached last December so no more new applications until June 2011.

However, the cap for LPN positions has not yet been reached so that is probably why you had an easier time.

I wish more IEN's would consider the possibility of registering as an LPN first . You can always work on your RN registration while you are working as an LPN.

1 Votes
RN_Canada said:
Welcome to Canada eh!

The immigration cap for registered nurses under the skilled worker program was reached last December so no more new applications until June 2011.

However, the cap for LPN positions has not yet been reached so that is probably why you had an easier time.

I wish more IEN's would consider the possibility of registering as an LPN first . You can always work on your RN registration while you are working as an LPN.

Really?

There is a huge issue right now at the hospital I work at with IENs who were permitted to work as LPNs while working on achieving RN status in Canada.

It's the same as finding out Ontario appears to be permitting failed CRNE writers to attempt CPNRE.

With this kind of logic, LPNs who have enough academic credits and floor experience should be permitted to attempt the CRNE.

Alberta and Ontario are requiring PNs graduate from a two year academic based programme, which is often all some of the IENs have: a two year college based nursing credential.

The CNA needs to put our own nursing house in order before permitting "exceptions" for foreign educated nurses.

1 Votes
Specializes in education.
Quote
With this kind of logic, LPNs who have enough academic credits and floor experience should be permitted to attempt the CRNE.

Alberta and Ontario are requiring PNs graduate from a two year academic based programme, which is often all some of the IENs have: a two year college based nursing credential.

No Fiona59 you are wrong, that is not a logical conclusion.

One of the requirements for a registered nursing license is that you have graduated from a recognized school of registered nursing.

This makes LPN"s who have graduated from a recognized school for practical nursing ineligible to apply for a registered nurse license without going back to school.

On the other hand IEN's who graduated from a registered nursing school in another country and are licensed and working as an LPN, can apply for a registered nurse license.

Of course they have to have their credentials, schooling, and experience evaluated against the provincial requirements before getting permission to take the CRNE. Many provinces are now also requiring the SEC ( Substantially equivalent competency) assessment as part of that evaluation as well.

Quote
Alberta and Ontario are requiring PNs graduate from a two year academic based programme, which is often all some of the IENs have: a two year college based nursing credential.

Is is my understanding that Ontario has a degree requirement for registered nursing and only accepts IEN's for a RN license with an equivalent degree. I am not sure about ALberta, but I do know that the university degree requirement is applied differently in all provinces. Some require an equivalent degree and others look at competencies.

Quote
The CNA needs to put our own nursing house in order before permitting "exceptions" for foreign educated nurses.

The CNA is not a regulatory body. They are a national organization that works to promote the nursing profession but they are not mandated by law to protect the public.They have no power to set policy for public protection in requirements for a nursing license. This is done under legislation at the provincial level.

1 Votes

I'm glad it works for you...I'm a Canadian nurse who as return to nursing here in the US after many years of being a mom... Things were not easy here, and it took me 3 years to navigate the paperwork, tests etc...

I think Canada is well organize in regard of licensing:yeah:...I wish you the best for you and your family!

1 Votes

Hi NataliaK!

Congratulations! I am so glad I passed by your post. Just lately, for the past few days I was thinking of applying as an LPN instead of RN in NS.

What agency did you consult? Is it Eduns? May we have the name of the agency?

Thanks!

1 Votes

There are thousands of PH nurses applying for Canada. So there's not enough slots for everyone.

1 Votes

Miss Nataliak may I ask what the name of your agency is at Nova Scotia? I really wanted to go to Canada and like you I'm a mother and i want a beautiful place where my son can grow up to... Kindly pm me or email me at [email protected]. Thank you

1 Votes
annabyn said:
Miss Nataliak may I ask what the name of your agency is at Nova Scotia? I really wanted to go to Canada and like you I'm a mother and i want a beautiful place where my son can grow up to... Kindly pm me or email me at [email protected]. Thank you

Instead of PM i think any valuable information should be shared to everyone in this forum as well... lets help each other.

1 Votes

i am too an international nurse. could you email me the recruitment agency? please email meat [email protected]

thanks

NataliaK said:
Hi,

just want to share my personal experience moving to Canada to work as a nurse.

And I would like to encourage anybody who is dreaming to move to Canada to work as a nurse.

Originally I am from Russia but I received my Associate of nursing degree in USA. After graduation from Denver School of Nursing, Colorado I had been working as a registered nurse (RN) for almost one year.

I really liked to live and work in USA. But unfortunately I was urged to move from USA due to the fact that I did not have bachelor of Nursing and with ASN I could not get my US work visa. It is funny to see all these ads after that claiming that USA needs nurses. May be it does but it is very difficult for foreign nationality to stay in USA.

So I have less than 6 months to find a good alternative for my US nursing job. Canada was the first on my mind.

There is a flood of information on Internet but it takes forever to read through all these governmental websites trying to decide what province of Canada I am suitable best and I did not really care what part of Canada to go. All Canadian provinces have their own requirements for licensing of foreign nurses. Now I know that they are pretty much similar but at that time I did not know anything about nursing requirements in Canada. I choose Nova Scotia (Atlantic province of Canada) because I always wanted to live near the ocean.

I applied as a RN to the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia to find out that my Associate of nursing degree from US is not enough to be registered as RN here in Canada. I was suggested to come to Halifax, Canada for assessment. For me it was simply impossible.

First I needed a Canadian visa and besides that I would not be able to return to USA (where I could officially stayed only for short 5 months) and I am not saying that it is a LOT of money to travel to Canada, staying in the hotel plus I still could not be sure how this assessment would go.

Close to a nervous breakdown :uhoh3: I found a local consulting and recruitment agency for foreign-trained nurses in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I was suggested do apply as LPN to the College of Licensed Practical nurses of Nova Scotia. Thankfully my application was approved. I was offered a job by this recruitment agency (everything was FREE) and they found me a place to live in the apartment complex located on the territory of my future work. So it was really convenient. I did not need to buy a car right away everything was close.

So to summarize my experience: I started looking for the ways to go to Canada in October 2009. My RN application was refused in November. In December I applied as LPN and by April 2010 I was able to come to Canada. By the way my family came later.

I was just blown away by Canadian Hospitality. I was met at the airport by personal of the agency . They also helped me a lot during my first week in Canada plus found me place to live.

Some more interesting facts from my Canadian experience:

1/ It happened that I came already pregnant to Canada. To my big surprise I was eligible to have one year maternity leave after full time of work during my first 8 months in Canada.

2/ Being an American graduate I even was not asked to go through the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE).

3/ I applied for permanent residency after one year of staying in Canada through Nova Scotia Nominee program though I am still waiting for it. Hope to receive it soon.

So it will be soon almost 2 years in Canada. It seems to me that People at work are more relaxed compare to US.

But I finally got use to this "Canadian slowness ". I love Canada:redbeathe and I think I found my new home. :yeah:

1 Votes
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