swiss or german nurses immigrating to canada

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Specializes in med.surg..

Hello everyone,

I am a swiss diploma nurse and applied for canadian PR about a year ago and

wherever I go and whoever I ask....i seem to be the only swiss nurse EVER

wanting to become a canadian RN (BC) someday...! I do feel a little lost sometime and

therefore would love to share my experiences, problems and anxieties

regarding the whole immigration/registration process with nurses from switzerland,

germany or any other european country....

Kind regards

Elevin

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

There are several of us from an EU country that has made the move to Canada and love it.

Welcome and good luck on your journey. Have you applied to the provincial college for RN's and sorted getting registration out and eligibility to sit CRNE?

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Specializes in Emergency, medical-surgical,.

Hi,

you are not alone, I am a german nurse, within the registration process with

CRNBC.

In April we, my husband and I, start our Journey to Canada.

At the moment we have a lot of work with selling our furniture, packing, gathering documents, and all the paperwork that has to be done prior our departure from Germany.

So, welcome in this forum, feel free to ask all your questions.

Best wishes!

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Specializes in med.surg..

Hello Mona, hello Silverdragon,

thanks a lot for your replies. it's great to hear that there are european

nurses on their way to canada with maybe similar problems and whishes

for their future...I am not yet in the registration process. I applied for permanent

residence about 3/4 year ago and am still waiting

for the medical... ! i thought about waiting

with the registration process as long as I am still living in switzerland and

then with PR, immigrate and start working as a nursing aid for a couple of

months and during this time apply for registration with CRNBC....

But maybe its better to start with the registration process right now ?

Did you have any problems with your european diplomas ?

Have a great day....

elevin

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Registration can take a long time, several months, so I would suggest starting sooner rather than later. Some have had problems with transcripts due to Canada being general trained so hours are required both clinical and theory in Paeds, Mental Health, Obstetrics and General Adult.

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Specializes in Emergency, medical-surgical,.

I would recommend to start the registration process right away. I send my application in September 2009 and I am still not registered.

My experience is that it takes CRNBC a long time to assess your education and it is likely that you'll have to go through SEC assessment.

My transcripts got lost somewhere, for example, that meant a long delay in my registration process.

Don't forget about the time you will need to prepare either for assessment or for the CRNE.

I was one of a few lucky IENs, with only one Professional Studies Course to take.

Out of 25, 22 had to take more than two and fulfil an individual number of clinical hours prior Provisional Registration and eligibility to write the CRNE.

In what area do you work as a nurse?

Do you have a Bachelor or a diploma?

Mona77

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Specializes in med.surg..

Hey Mona,

thanks again for your reply. for me it was all about the permanent residence at first and

it is only now that I started to really think about the registration process, though I am still

not totally sure wether I am going to get my PR card and when...

I'll take my second IELTS exam in june (the first (genera)l i took for PR about a year ago) and after

that I am ready to send all my papers to CRNBC. I am a generally trained diploma nurse (4 years) but no BScN !

I do have the chance to study for the BScN here in Switzerland, and it would take me one year...

but I am not really sure about it, because I heard that a diploma is still okay for IEN's. What about you ?

Did you have to take the SEC assessment?

have a great day, and all the best to you and your husband with your immigration adventure...

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Hi Elevin,

I'm on the process immigrating as a nurse to Canada. I did general nursing in Switzerland, without a bachelor. I just read your post and thought I'd ask you how you processed. At the moment I'm trying to figure out how to get my credentials for my HF-Diploma here. Do I need to get the credentials from the World Education Service or from NNAS? I'd really appreciate your help, since it's been quite overwhelming. :)

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Hi Elevin,

I'm on the process immigrating as a nurse to Canada. I did general nursing in Switzerland, without a bachelor. I just read your post and thought I'd ask you how you processed. At the moment I'm trying to figure out how to get my credentials for my HF-Diploma here. Do I need to get the credentials from the World Education Service or from NNAS? I'd really appreciate your help, since it's been quite overwhelming. :)

NNAS is required to be licensed by a provincial college of nurses

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Specializes in med.surg..

Hi ziba777,

So sorry for not getting back to you earlier. Which province are you thinking of moving to?

The way I remember it, every province has other requirements. I live in BC now, and am

working as an RN. When I applied for the licence in 2012, I had to go through CRNBC, and I do not

remember having to go through NNAS, maybe it didn't exist three years ago ?

I am happy to help :)

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi ziba777,

So sorry for not getting back to you earlier. Which province are you thinking of moving to?

The way I remember it, every province has other requirements. I live in BC now, and am

working as an RN. When I applied for the licence in 2012, I had to go through CRNBC, and I do not

remember having to go through NNAS, maybe it didn't exist three years ago ?

I am happy to help :)

NNAS is a few process that all IEN's have to do first before sending application to provincial college

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Hello, I am Canadian went to CH for 13 years, became a nurse there DNI. then moved back to canada in 2013. was in the process of getting my swiss diploma recognised here in BC Canada, with CRNBC. I was supposed to take 3 tests, which I wasn't feeling certain of, so I requested to go back to school they said only if I failed the exams. Thats when I gave up on it. I went to study tourism, and worked on a cruise ship for 2 years, and came back to land. started work at Safeway a year ago. Now I have to look for a new job again, will see what I can do about nursing. If you want, you can always apply as a care aide as an international health care professional. That is what my friends have been telling me, and then work my way up.

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