Help! Australian nurse wanting to nurse in Canada BC

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Hi Everyone,

I'm just starting the exhausting process of trying to nurse in Canada BC. I am a nurse from Melbourne, Australia with 7 years experience majority being pediatric emergency. I was hoping that someone had recently migrated from Australia (or anyone familiar with the process) and would be able to point me in the right direction for the process.

So far I have applied through NNAS, currently trying to fill out very confusing forms that may not be accepted as we have a different examination process that I am assuming is not recognised in BC. I understand I have to complete the NCLEX exam and get a visa. However, I don't think I am eligible for the exam until I am registered with CRNBC. Also unsure if i will need to complete any additional study as I have a Postgraduate Diploma in Emergency Nursing in addition to my Bachelor of Nursing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Rachel

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Welcome to allnurses I am going to move your thread to Nursing in Canada where you may get better answers to your thread

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Until you complete both NNAS and application with The College of Registered Nurses for BC you will not get eligibility to sit NCLEX and with the 2 processes you are looking at approx 1-2 year process. NNAS is relatively new and not many have posted completion of the process and to be honest I can not remember anyone posting that they have completed the process. Regarding extra study only the college can answer that one

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Thanks for your reply. I am hoping it won't take that long but I'll guess we have to wait and see. Thanks for the tip about the college I'll try to email them( I'm hoping my 6 years of practical pediatric experienced will count) and see what they advice. Hopefully I can be the first to complete this process it certainly is a lot of money!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Generally clinical and theory must show on transcripts, don't always take work experience into account.

Good luck

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Specializes in Critical Care / Emergency.

Mate, see my posts from this link

https://allnurses.com/international-nursing/crnbc-sec-968055.html

The process is long, tedious and tiring. It took me about a year and a half to get my rego in BC.

I was spared from sitting the Substantially Equivalent Competency Exam.

Heaps of paperworks, very detailed CV, Transcript, Course curriculum, course description et.al.

I was not required to undergo the NNAS as I was still in the old system.

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Specializes in Critical Care / Emergency.

Also, CRNBC requires a comprehensive transcript and training record. Maternity hours, paeds, psyche.

I was a Midwife - this pulled my application in to cover for maternity and paeds.

Otherwise from what my other mates was saying, they were being required to study for a year to comply with this aspect.

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Hello, I am unable to advise you as I am in the same boat as you. Any update on the Canadian registration process? I recently returned to Canada. I did my Bachelor of Nursing in Australia and worked as a RN for 3.5 years. I am a dual citizen. I applied with NNAS in September 2015 and it seems that it will be a long and tedious process. Documents which I know were definitely posted to NNAS more than six weeks ago are yet to be received or processed by NNAS in Philadelphia. I think it is ridiculous that the Canadian nursing assessment is done in the U.S. The applicaition fee is very expensive as it is in U.S. dollars. I am seeking registration in Ontario. I don't know if I will have to do additional studies as the BN in Australia ia a three year program and the BScN in Canada is a four year program. Any Australian educated nurses on this forum who have had dealings with NNAS? Thanks.

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Hi there,

I still am waiting on the NNAS to review my paperwork (ie: transcripts and employment history) it was finally all received in October 2015 (after multiple documents getting lost and needing to be resent via post). I asked if they could give me a time-frame for when it is likely the report will be completed, and they stated 2 months. Unfortunately, it has been over three months and still have not heard anything. Until I receive the outcome of the report I do not know if I need to complete any further study. Which is unfortunate as I am moving in less than a month! So for now I guess I will have a break from nursing until hopefully it all comes through. Good Luck let me know if you have any tips.

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Specializes in Critical Care / Emergency.

Good luck mate. I am trying to get a BC Provincial Nominee Program for health professional. I have my registration in BC but finding ways to increase my points via express entry.

Good luck with the NNAS assessment. I think NNAS assessment can be used with different Colleges in Canada. I recently endorsed my license in BC to NB and they still required a substantial amount of documentation. My advise is carry on - give yourself 2 years to complete all this process. This is something doable

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Hi all. I am an RN from Australia with 6 yrs or experience. Just submitted all my paperwork to the NNAS. Wondering if anyone has recently had any advisory report from the NNAS? Just worried as my course was 3 yrs without maternity or paeds. My experience is only in medical nursing.

I was also advised by someone to register for LPN on NNAS in addition to RN. Rang CLPNBC and they said that even they require paeds + maternity education to give us registration.

Is it advisable to sign up for a maternity + paeds course in a uni while waiting for an advisory report OR is it best to wait and see? The current way I am looking at a 1-2 yr wait for an advisory report + 1-2 yrs on study ?

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...The current way I am looking at a 1-2 yr wait for an advisory report + 1-2 yrs on study ?

Hi RupiRN:

Where are you now in the process? Have you received your Advisory Report yet?

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