Any advice for my situation please!

[castleberry]

In May 2007, I graduated from an associate degree nursing program in USA. I passed Nclex and hold a RN license currently working in a hospital in Georgia, USA.

Because the bad immigration conditions for nurses in USA, I plan to move to Canada in June, 2008 when my work permit expires in USA.

I am a permanent resident of Canada. After I move to Canada, I want to work as a Canadian RN and go to BSN program part-time. So my questions are:

Which province should I move to? Which province accepts American Associate Nursing Degree so that I can sit for the Canadian RN exam without having my BSN first? Which school is easier for me to get accepted in the Associate degree to BSN program?

Thank you for any advice and suggestions. :balloons:

[zuzi]

Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon.

Majorities of them have COLLEGE OF NURSES, similar with Board of nurses from US.

Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia

2855 Arbutus StreetVancouver, British ColumbiaV6J 3Y8

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]Website: www.rnabc.bc.ca

Alberta Association of Registered Nurses

11620 - 168 Street

Edmonton, AlbertaT5M 4A6

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]Website: www.nurses.ab.ca

Saskatchewan Registered Nurses' Association

2066 Retallack StreetRegina, SaskatchewanS4T 7X5

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]Website: www.srna.org

College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba

647 Broadway AvenueWinnipeg, ManitobaR3C 0X2

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]Website: www.crnm.mb.ca

Registered Nurses Association of Ontario

1600 - 438 University AvenueTorontoONM5G 2K8

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.rnao.org

College of Nurses of Ontario101 Davenport RoadToronto, OntarioM5R 3P1

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]Website: www.cno.org

Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec

4200, boul. Dorchester Ouest

Montréal, Québec H3Z 1V4

Tel: [phone]

Fax/télécopieur: 514-935-1799

E-mail /Courriel: [email protected]Website: www.oiiq.org

Nurses Association of New Brunswick / Association des infirmières et infirmiers du Nouveau-Brunswick165 Regent StreetFredericton, New BrunswickE3B 3W5

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]Website: www.nanb.nb.ca

Registered Nurses' Association of Nova Scotia

Suite 600, Barrington Tower

Scotia Square, 1894 Barrington St.

Halifax Nova Scotia B3J 2A8

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]Website: www.rnans.ns.ca

Association of Registered Nurses of Prince Edward Island

17 Pownal StreetCharlottetown, Prince Edward IslandC1A 3V7

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: none

Website: none

Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland

55 Military Road, Box 6116

St. John's, Newfoundland A1C 5X8

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.arnn.nf.ca/

Northwest Territories Registered Nurses AssociationBox 2757Yellowknife, Northwest TerritoriesX1A 2R1

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]Website: http://www.nwtrna.com/

Yukon Registered Nurses Association

Yukon Registered Nurses Association

204 - 4133 - 4th AvenueWhitehorse, YukonY1A 3T3

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Email:[email protected]

Website:none

Take your time and give them a phone call one by one to find wich of them accepts an ADN for registration like a RN. Couple of years ago Manitoba was one, try it! I really don't know now.

Another alternative is to try a registration like RPN ( your ADN will be enough doesn't matter in which province you will choose to go is equivalent with LVN from US) and after that to start a bridge program from RPN to RN. Will be emotional cost lees, money in your pocket. your hospital could pay the fee for bridge program.

Another way is to enroll your self at one of Canadian University who offer this type of bridge programs and finish courses required till BSN and after apply for registration like RN wherever you want in Canada, Is the most sure and secure way but expensive and money spend!

Only your decision....

How many work permits did you have in US? Why you don't renew your permit? Why you do not contact a US immigration lawyer, US need also nurses!

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Lots of good information in the preceding post. But I need to point out that Canadian hospitals/health regions do not pay program fees or tuition for educational upgrading of the sort castleberry asked about. Funding is generally only available in small amounts from the facility, the provincial college of registered nurses and the union. And most often it is only provided AFTER the fact; one must apply for approval of the course of study, actually do the work then submit proof of completion before seeing a dime. The exception might be the union, which might give half the amount approved up front. The expectation is that the individual will continue to work while attending classes. It's not at all the way it is in the US where hospitals will pay your education costs in return for a service contract.

[castleberry]

Thank you, Zuzi and Janfran. Thank you for all your information.

According to Zuzi's question, the work permit that I have is called OPT (optional practice training). You may apply for it after you finish your degree. After being approved by USA INS, you can work for 1 year, and it can not be renewed.

USA does need nurses, but the immigration condition for nurses has changed since last December. I also contact with many lawyers, they just tell me to wait. But I can not wait in USA because I need to go back to Canada to keep my permanent residence valid.

[ocn_wanna_be]

I am in the same boat except that I am not a perm resident of Canada. How does one go about obtaining prem residency in canada? I also heard some people obtained temporary worker visa to look for jobs.

At any rate, I would love to find out which province would accpet American ADN and would let me sit for their certification exam