RN sponsorship

You really should start the licensing procedure first for Canada, their licensing exam is only three times per year. Each province has their own licensing just like each state in the US, you need to decide on the province first.

I totally agree with Suzanne. You should be starting applying for registration to the province you want to go to.
In Alberta and BC, you can actually work while you are still waiting to take the CRNE. As long as your credentials are assessed by the province board of nursing and everything is good, they will give you a temporary license to work as a graduate nurse, and at the same time, apllication for the CRNE exams.

There is a lengthy process to go thru to get approval to even sit for that exam, longer than what is required for getting permission to sit for the NCLEX exam in most cases.

Never advised to go there if you do not have permission to test, just the same as for the US. Employers want to see that you have been accepted to sit for the exam, again not much different than those that are trying to work in the US and had gone thru the CGFNS exam process. Employers do not want to invest in you if you are not going to meet the requirements for licensure, just like the US.

i applied for licensure in the provinces of alberta and ontario.. submitted all requirements november of 2007. how much time do i have to wait for their reply that i am eligible?
thanks...

Due to the sheer volume of such requests it is now taking a very long time for registries to process applications. The Alberta government recently allocated about $500,000 for increasing the number of screening personnel to fast-track applications from IENs, but the economy in Alberta has left a very limited pool of available applicants for such jobs, and it will take time to recruit staff. I can't give you an accurate estimate of how long your approval will take, but I do know that the resgistries receive a significant number of incomplete applications which must be assessed and the applicant contacted to obtain the missing pieces. That bogs down the process for everyone. I would expect you to wait a few more weeks at least for CARNA to reply. As for ONA, I have no idea what's happening there but suspect it's much like here.