UK Nurse - Calgary - Maybe!

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Hi there, I'm a UK nurse and wish to immigrate from UK to Calgary and work as an RN. However, I'm just back from a trip to Calgary with my OH as it was a recce trip. Unfortunately, I have now found out that I may not be awarded a Temporary Work Permit (I'm a Project 2000 nurse) as I may not have enough Obstetrics in my training (I was told by a lady from Calgary Health who I met with during my trip that this will be highly likely). I was aware that it may be case before coming on our recce trip but understood that Cal Health would have helped me deal with this and allowed me to work in an Obs unit as a Grad Student and gain the relevant experience that way. However, this is not going to be the case. :scrying:

Anyway, to the point, I was wondering if there are any UK Nurses who have trained from the year 2000 onwards (who are Registered General Nurses) and who have not had this problem. Did you get your WP ok and are you working in Canada now??

I guess if it has to be it has to be and I'll have to suck it up and do the course (i'm waiting to hear - I won't find out for around 8weeks or so, but I feel it will be the state of play). :o

Any advice would be gratefully received. Also if you did any courses in the UK or know of any that would get me through (apart of course from doing the 18month conversion course and becoming a midwife!)

I loved Calgary though and have previously been to Toronto before. Canada is a fabulous country and I feel it is the right place for our family - I actually feel at home there.

Thank you in advance.

JT

Specializes in coronary care, acute medicine, research.
Hello cheeca: I would like to ask you some questions as I am planning on move to Calgary as well.

You said you initially had problems regarding your salary. I was told that the Grad nurses at Calgary get $26/hr plus $1/Yr experience. Is it true?

How long it took you to obtain LMO?

Did Calgary Health provide you interim accommodation or you had to look for it yourself after you arrived?

How much time you have to take your three attempts at CRNE?

Your help will be highly appreciated.

Have a great day.

Hi

Grad nurses get paid depending on their previous experience and you have to get recognition of previous experience authorisation forms completed by your past NHS employers and these have to be sent to the employer here in Calgary ie, Calgary health region. They then decided how much they will pay you based on those forms. I got quite a few forms from all my past employers. I am paid the top salary of a Grad nurse which is now $34, due to past experience. However when I started with the region they paid me as a Undergrad nurse of $20, despite them having these forms. Every English nurse I have spoke to here siad they all have had the same problems. they pay as an undergrad to start with then you have to battle to get the correct pay.

As my LMO it took 1 day for it to come as they mostly already have them in place, so that was not a problem. Once I got my LMO i could then apply to the canada immigration in London for my work visa.

As with accommodation we arranged this privately before we came out, although I believe calgary health region do have people for you to contact re accommodation.

As with the Exam I don;t think there is a time limit, they certainly do not force you into taking it if you are not ready as they want you to pass.

Hope things work out well for you, its certainly an experience and an eye opener, and you will meet many obsticles along the way. good luck

Hello Cheeca, Thanks for your quick and informative reply.

I dont understand why they would initially pay you the salary of an undergrad when you have 12 years of expereince (thats ridiculous). didnt they give you a job offer and a contract stating the salary before you started working? I m glad finally things have worked out for you.

Have you yet thought about applying for immigrant status? Would Calgary Health help you apply through PNP now or you have to wait till you spend some more time working there.

Thanks again for all your help.

Have a good one

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
I dont understand why they would initially pay you the salary of an undergrad when you have 12 years of expereince (thats ridiculous). didnt they give you a job offer and a contract stating the salary before you started working?

The health region cannot pay you as a registered nurse in Alberta until you are a registered nurse in Alberta. It doesn't matter how many years' experience you have. They have opted to provide people with employment while they're waiting to take the CRNE, with the understanding that the rate of pay would be that of an undergrad nurse (or in some cases as a nursing assistant). Once the CRNE has been written the rate of pay goes up to that of a grad nurse while waiting the 6-8 weeks it takes for the results to come back and for the wait time for CARNA to issue a practice permit. Once the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed and a practice permit is issued, there is retroactive payment for all the hours worked at the agreed-upon RN salary level. The other option is to not work at all and just sit and wait with no income at all. The Alberta economy makes that a very poor choice.

Specializes in coronary care, acute medicine, research.
The health region cannot pay you as a registered nurse in Alberta until you are a registered nurse in Alberta. It doesn't matter how many years' experience you have. They have opted to provide people with employment while they're waiting to take the CRNE, with the understanding that the rate of pay would be that of an undergrad nurse (or in some cases as a nursing assistant). Once the CRNE has been written the rate of pay goes up to that of a grad nurse while waiting the 6-8 weeks it takes for the results to come back and for the wait time for CARNA to issue a practice permit. Once the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed and a practice permit is issued, there is retroactive payment for all the hours worked at the agreed-upon RN salary level. The other option is to not work at all and just sit and wait with no income at all. The Alberta economy makes that a very poor choice.

Hi

Just to clarify something. They are supposed to pay you from the start as a Graduate nurse and not an undergraduate, They pay this grad stutus while you wait to sit the CRNE exam. My contract stated that would be paid as a Grad nurse providing they receive all the Previous past expereince forms from the UK, which I did supply them with, but then they always say they have not got them, so pay you Undergrad pay. You have to get on the case quickly and pressure them, until they pay you the correct grad nurse pay.

Hi

I did the P2000 and graduated in 1997. I am now living and working in Calgary, I did not have any problems with my application for work permits or LMO's.

Hi Cheeca. Thanks so much for your reply. At least it's a positive. I've not had anyone P2000 as yet saying that they were deferred, but then I graduated in 2004 so maybe the later the course and of course "where" you studied makes a difference I don't know the waiting is killing me. It's been 8 weeks since my application went for assessment and I think my OH may have a heart attack before the wait is over to find out what's what.

Thanks for your feedback. Maybe see you in Calgary?!

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