CBC article this morning on immigration/nurses

[AnonymousLPN]

According to CBC this morning, the government is including RNs and LPNs on a list of occupations eligible for fast track immigration due to a shortage of available Canadian workers. Given all of the threads and discussion about the lack of jobs for nurses one can only wonder where the governments gets the idea that there is a shortage.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/skilled-immigrants-recruited-in-50-occupations-ahead-of-express-entry-launch-1.2673822

The government is offering express entry to 25,000 immigrants in certain occupations. To quote the article:

"The Canadian government is reforming the immigration system to offer "express entry" to skilled immigrants who want to come here as permanent residents, as a way to fill open jobs where there are no available Canadian workers."

The list of occupations includes Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. How the heck, with all the threads here about lack of jobs, did our illustrious government conclude that RNs and LPNs are an occupation with a critical labour shortage that can't be filled by Canadian workers.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

I agree. The list is so out in left field. I really don't think this means that immigrants will be guaranteed jobs, just that they would be able to work in Canada when they get here. There's so much confusion out there, especially for IENs, about the process of coming to Canada to work. Some believe that becoming registered is all that's required, and then they'll have a job, which will guarantee them a visa and work permit. Others think that being "offered a job" at a job fair by a recruiter (which is usually more "Oh yeah!! With your skills we'd hire you!!") means that they wave their offer letter in the air and poof! they're automatically registered and a work permit a mere formality. And then there's the group that have gotten approval to emigrate (via temporary foreign worker, spousal or family class, for example) is the golden ticket to registration AND employment. When the government comes out with these schemes, it only adds to the confusion. It's all pretty messed up.

[Balder_LPN, LPN]

Why is there such a clamor about "lack of jobs"? I was just looking at several of the BC health authorities and ONE of them had 250 nursing jobs open. Many are for entry level nurses and many only require 1-2 years experience. This is for all level of nurses.

There must be over 500 nurse openings in just BC that I found advertised, and I only spent an hour. Many of them are "casual" but that leads to being able to apply for the internal openings once you are an employee and as we know many 'casual' jobs are full time from the get go.

I also know someone at VCH who sets up new clinics and she thinks VCH is very short on nurses.

I am heading to AZ to complete my BSN and then I will be immigrating to BC. I get family sponsorship so will be a permanent resident when I apply. Will probably go for one of the more remote coastal areas of BC and move down to Vancouver or Victoria in a few years.

[Fiona59]

You may know people but you don't know the system.

Every job has to be posted. Doesn't matter if there is funding for it, it has to be posted due to union requirements.

Management knows how to play the game. They post it for the required period of time. Then they review the applications. Very, very carefully. Then they find no appropriate applicants and the job gets posted again. And again.

Casual? Sure it gets you in the door but there is no living at it. Depending on the time of year there can be zero shifts. When I worked casual there were times of year where I might get three shifts a MONTH. It's drifting that way again in my facility. Loads of casuals and no shifts. Despite it being summer. My unit has zero vacant shifts this month, so unless there are sick calls there are no shifts for casuals and often the unit would rather call in one of their part time staff who are looking for extra shifts.

Part timers who want more hours bid on those vacant shifts. Many part timers are trying to get FTE increases but again the mantra from management is no money in the budget.

Clinics? Totally depends on government funding. BC is a financial mess. It just doesn't have the money that it did 30 years ago.

I have a friend who works in Vancouver. She's told me stay in Alberta.

But you are in the US and you have a "friend". What do we know? We only live and work here.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I receive job alerts daily from across Canada, and it's the same over and over: temp, casual, or low FTEs like .50

Many of the casual positions offer few hours now because management would rather save money than fill a sick call so you work short. Unfortunately, the market has not improved.

[Balder_LPN, LPN]

You seem to think that because I am in the US I can't possibly know anything about nursing in BC. If proximity is how you determine that then I am in a far better position to be in the know that is for sure. I am only 1 hour drive from Vancouver, less than 20 minutes from Canada.

I do work with nurses here who are Canadian and live in the lower mainland. There are certainly some reasons to do that. However I also know at least 3 Canadian nurses recently who had the same negative attitude as you about job availability in BC, and they are now all working in BC. Hmmmmm.

You may have a friend working in BC who thinks there are no jobs. I do know someone who sets up new clinics for one of the health authorities, and there are jobs.

I have noticed in my own area, and other places I have been, that the people complaining about lack of jobs are generally people who have some serious issues with negative attitude in general, and are often people who get only a minimal recommendation from past employers. Often due to problems with coworkers or pt's/families, attendance, and or attitude towards their management - all seem to be common pretty common among nurses having trouble finding / changing employment.

Just saying. Don't take it personal. I'll let you know when I relocate to BC how long it takes me to get a job.

[Fiona59]

Balder, you sound very patronizing. How did you make out in Hong Kong looking for work?

Or did you just be a house husband?

Nothing personal but know it all Americans are in for a rough ride when they move north. Especially ones that "Know people" to obtain work.

I know a wonderful nurse who moved to the island (highly specialized). Took her five months to obtain a casual gig there.

For the simple reason she was competing against locally educated new grads. Every job in my facility has at least 50 applicants for the posting and those are only the internal applicants.

The last two that my manager hired with glowing references have turned out to have multiple issues because the only way to move on your "problem nurses" is to give them glowing references! The idea is move them onto another unit so hopefully their problems come to light in the probationary period and the new unit can deal with them.

Vancouver Island has at least two RN programmes I can think of, the lower mainland has three. That's five graduating classes (minimum) a year.

So don't take it personally if you can't find a job because you aren't local.

[Balder_LPN, LPN]

Balder, you sound very patronizing. How did you make out in Hong Kong looking for work?

Or did you just be a house husband?

Nothing personal but know it all Americans are in for a rough ride when they move north. Especially ones that "Know people" to obtain work.

I know a wonderful nurse who moved to the island (highly specialized). Took her five months to obtain a casual gig there.

.

I'm patronizing? 'just a house husband' REALLY? come on. maybe there is some difference in training between US and Canada. We teach nurses not to be judgmental or sexist. Doesn't mean it sinks in on all of us.

That is as bad as if I were to refer to you as 'sweetie' , which I would never do, by the way. (even before I became a nurse)

Do you have any friends who are 'just housewives' and if so would you refer to them in that way.

BTW, except for 90 days after I got out of the Army, I have worked my whole life. I guess for that 90 days I was 'just' a house husband. My wife was just a housewife for about 10 years.

I think you should pause in the mirror before tossing around 'patronizing' again.

Anyway, I am off to Phoenix first to complete my BSN. Then we will likely be going up Island or to the Queen Charlottes possibly. There are many full time jobs available in the more remote areas, which are very appealing to us. In fact BC has such demand for nurses in those areas there is a special immigration program for BSN's with one year experience. Not eligible for Jobs in Victoria or the Lower Mainland.

I don't mind continuing the conversation. But try to be civil please.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

@balder it has been 6 months since your last post, at that time you said you were off to Arizona and it seems by today's post, that you are still on your way to Arizona, what is taking so long? are you walking there?

[Balder_LPN, LPN]

Well, it's a REALLLLY long swim.

or, perhaps, I enjoy just being a househusband.

In reality it has been difficult to pull myself away from what is a fun and well paid job here. But ultimately it is just a job and not a career. Nursing is what I am called to do. So even though it means my wife and I will be apart for some time, I have just purchased my ticket for Vancouver (closest airport to my hometown) and received my license for AZ. Back to school at last. Orientation Feb 4th.

I'll update the Canadian forum when we head north.

BTW - I do recognize that getting a job as a new grad BSN from out of the area will be difficult in Victoria or the Lower Mainland. that (and the fact that we are a bit bored with those areas, as that is where we have spent many years) is why we will go up island or even to the Queen Charlottes.

After a lot of research I would suggest to anyone looking for a nursing job in BC to look to places like Alert Bay, or the northern interior of BC. Many of the HCA's have had the same FT nursing jobs listed as open for more than 6 months. The further you get away from Vic and Van the better it looks.

[Fiona59]

Better Learn about Haida Gwaii

[dishes, BSN, RN]

@balder have you checked if the Arizona program contains theory and clinical hours that are equivalent to a Canadian BSN program?

[Fiona59]

I've worked on Vancouver Island. The more remote it is, the harder it is to fill, mainly due to social issues. High substance abuse issues, cultural considerations are huge. Many of the jobs are open because they are actually wanting First Nations nurses.

Courtenay, Campbell River have no shortage of nurses. Powell River sends out most of it's surgical patients. Apart from Victoria and Nanaimo, the smaller communities ship out their complex patients.