IEN Registration in Alberta to become more difficult

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"Immigrants with nursing credentials will soon have a harder time getting licensed to work in Alberta.

Provincial funding for Mount Royal University's Internationally Educated Nurses Assessment program is being discontinued, school officials said.

About 240 nurses from other countries are assessed and registered through the program each year."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2013/03/19/calgary-nurse-foreign-program-cut.html

Why did AHS travel to the uk last year to recruit experienced nurses? The representative told me that they were desperate for nurses and the shortage wouldn't be ending anytime soon!! Leaves me with the feeling that I might well waste 550 dollars trying to register to practice if the jobs aren't actually available!!

Well, they kept that one quiet.

I guess the bigwigs had to justify a trip to the UK on their expense accounts somehow.

There really isn't a shortage of jobs. I know part timers that have been looking for full time jobs and can't find them. Casuals who are looking for any size permanent job just to have a reliable income.

Just remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually isn't true. I've been with AHS and it's forerunner for 98% of my nursing career. Take anything they promise you with a huge grain of salt. It's a government agency much like your NHS. It's always short of cash, there are always lists that need to be sorted out and then when there is cash they throw it at the lists and work the staff like dogs so they make their numbers.

I'd hold onto the $550 and put it towards a trip to Paris.

Unless you have a partner with marketable skills in Alberta, I wouldn't bother.

International nurses have to pay for these assessments etc. it is not all paid by the universities.

International nurses have to pay for these assessments etc. it is not all paid by the universities.

The government still subsidzes these assessments.

When the huge influx of IENs started in 2007/08, the provincial Colleges followed up with raising the yearly fees of all nurses to help cover the cost of hiring extra staff to process the applications. My fees have increased from $200 to $350 (over the last 4 years) with no added benefits to me or any of my coworkers. I know the RN college also raised their fees as well.

So in reality the taxpayer is funding a large part of the assessment process.

The government still subsidzes these assessments.

When the huge influx of IENs started in 2007/08, the provincial Colleges followed up with raising the yearly fees of all nurses to help cover the cost of hiring extra staff to process the applications. My fees have increased from $200 to $350 (over the last 4 years) with no added benefits to me or any of my coworkers. I know the RN college also raised their fees as well.

So in reality the taxpayer is funding a large part of the assessment process.

I am not detracting from the fact that the host country would finance the provision of these assessment courses. I was merely noting that the IEN's do pay for their assessments and it is the colleges who decide if the IEN is in need of a 'course' in order to aid these nurses to work effectively and safely in the host country. In the UK the IEN would still have to pay for assessment etc. Nurses forever will be moving around and so they should, to gain valuable experiences and knowledge. There is a lot to be gained professionally from the movement of nurses throughout the world.

I can appreciate this discussion from both sides being an international nurse and from being a Manager in the UK recruiting international nurses to the UK. In my experience the arguments are similar from both sides of the Atlantic.

I am an Internationally Educated Nurse who is scheduled for assessment this October. Unfortunately I received an email from mount royal university saying that my assessment has been cancelled. I was so upset and wanted to find some other IENs who has the same experience but instead I came across this forum that is in favor of shutting down the opportunity for an IEN like me to work in this country. I do not intent to argue that local citizens of this country should be prioritized regarding employment issues but please do not deny us the chance to be able to get our license for this profession. We are ALL NURSES and I think that we should feel the same way about each other. Scarcity of job vacancy will not be a problem for a long time. In fact here in North Alberta hospitals are desperately needing registered nurses.

It is true that we have a problem on our country of origin. POVERTY. Living on a third world country is really very difficult. If you were in our place will you not take the risk of going to other country to be able to improve the lives of your family?? We are not here to compete with Canadian nurses. We are here because we just wanted to have a better life so please do not tell us to go back to our country. We would love to work and serve our own countrymen but we are forced to go somewhere else just to provide the needs of our family. So please be OPEN MINDED and SELFLESS.

Furthermore, I understand that it is quite annoying to always hear from an LPN that they were a nurse back home but perhaps it is their only way of saying that they probably deserve even just a little bit of your respect.

I am willing to pay for my assessment and all the expenses for upgrading my knowledge and competency to be able to qualify with the standard requirement set for the registration of nurses. Undoubtedly, I am willing to study even a couple of years or whatever it takes to be able to have my license here. I whole-heartily chose to pursue this profession even if I can work any other jobs that will also give me maybe not as much but enough salary to provide for my family. I do this because nursing is my calling..nursing is my profession..and nobody has the right to stop someone's passion for their chosen profession.

Specializes in geriatrics.

We welcome IEN's....when the economy is providing the work. Realistically, local nurses and IENs who have already passed their assessments deserve the opportunity to enter the market first. At the moment, the economy is poor, and many nurses are experiencing layoffs, which is very unfortunate.

What do you propose? Should they continue to saturate the market when the jobs are not available? Many countries have limited the number of IENs due to poor economic conditions, not just Canada. It makes no sense to import workers when the work is nonexistent.

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We welcome IEN's....when the economy is providing the work. Realistically, local nurses and IENs who have already passed their assessments deserve the opportunity to enter the market first. At the moment, the economy is poor, and many nurses are experiencing layoffs, which is very unfortunate.

What do you propose? Should they continue to saturate the market when the jobs are not available? Many countries have limited the number of IENs due to poor economic conditions, not just Canada. It makes no sense to import workers when the work is nonexistent.

Exactly!

And OP what country are you from? If its the country the majority of the nurses that come here are from, your own country doesn't allow Canadian nurses to go work there so why should it be any different here?

You even said yourself that you'd rather be working in your own country for your own countrymen so think for a second how it must feel for a Canadian to be constantly listening to people at work complain about Canada and wish they were back home.

And even worse yet is being surrounded by IENs who as speaking their own language to each other all shift. Imagine feeling isolated like that in your own country EVERY single time you go to work. I work with more IENs than I do Canadians. Meanwhile I have Canadian friends who can't find employment. Just doesn't sit right with me and if I were happening in your own country I doubt you would like it either.

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They should probably regulate the number of IEN who are trying to register here in Canada but not shutting down the whole program. In this way IENs like me who are already residing here in the country would still be given a chance to proceed with their registration. It is so disappointing to know that there is no hope for me to become a nurse here and it is hard for me to accept the fact that I have to work all my life on a certain job that I do not deserve.

Anyway, I just shared my part here in this forum so that you will have an idea of what an IEN is going through right now. We cannot deny the fact that the decision is not on our hands but on the government. I just wanted to share my feelings because I am so depressed knowing that all that I have planned for my future are falling into pieces. I hope you understand.

Exactly!

And OP what country are you from? If its the country the majority of the nurses that come here are from, your own country doesn't allow Canadian nurses to go work there so why should it be any different here?

You even said yourself that you'd rather be working in your own country for your own countrymen so think for a second how it must feel for a Canadian to be constantly listening to people at work complain about Canada and wish they were back home.

And even worse yet is being surrounded by IENs who as speaking their own language to each other all shift. Imagine feeling isolated like that in your own country EVERY single time you go to work. I work with more IENs than I do Canadians. Meanwhile I have Canadian friends who can't find employment. Just doesn't sit right with me and if I were happening in your own country I doubt you would like it either.

I am from the Philippines. I am a Filipino and we are recognized to be friendly and hospitable. We think so much differently because we welcome every foreigner who comes to our country whether a tourist or immigrants.

I believe that your opinion is mostly based on your personal experiences. I understand that you might have a bad experience with an IEN that you are working with but its not a reason for you to hate all the IENs.

It is sad to know that some Canadian feels this way about foreign workers. I always thought that Canadians were not racist. I hope there are still some Canadians who views us differently..

I am from the Philippines. I am a Filipino and we are recognized to be friendly and hospitable. We think so much differently because we welcome every foreigner who comes to our country whether a tourist or immigrants.

I believe that your opinion is mostly based on your personal experiences. I understand that you might have a bad experience with an IEN that you are working with but its not a reason for you to hate all the IENs.

It is sad to know that some Canadian feels this way about foreign workers. I always thought that Canadians were not racist. I hope there are still some Canadians who views us differently..

I work with many lovely Filipinos and think you all are wonderful people.

All I'm saying here is that I agree with eliminating the Mount Royal program that facilitates further importation of IEN's at least for now. It just isn't fair to continue bringing in nurses from other countries when we don't even have enough jobs for our own Canadian educated nurses. You just need to see it from our side as well.

Best of luck to you

2 Votes

My family came to Canada during the 1960s. My Mum was a nurse back home. She has never worked as a nurse in Canada. Her qualifications were not recognized. My father could not afford to pay for her education to be evaluated and upgraded. Back then there were no support groups for immigrant, no govt funded language classes (why do yo think there are so many women over 60 who have really poor English despite being here over 50 years), it was a very different world. Phone calls to the old country had to be booked, saved up for and were for emergencies and Christmas.

This current generation of immigrants has it far easier than previous waves.

I know exactly what Lisa is talking about. We have had several memos at my site reminding us to talk English at work! One unit has become a unit that casuals refused to work because of the number of nurses from the Philippines on it. Part of report was being given in Tagalog, conversations between nurses, nurses and NAs were in Tagalog. When asked to talk in English, most would giggle and reply that they outnumbered everyone and perhaps we should learn To speak their language. Nurses complaints were basically ignored until visitors and patients started complaining.

We all have lives to pay for and families to support, we don't like the cutthroat mentality we see in some groups. The sense of entitlement to any spare shifts and the constant demanding of overtime because 'I have to send money home'. My sit saw IENs sent home foe breaking their visa restrictions by working under the table in restaurants and cleaning crews despite having fulltime nursing lines.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

We have the same issue on our unit with respect to language Fiona. It's very annoying.

As far as entitlements, if the situation were reversed, many Canadian citizens would not be afforded the same level of assistance to immigrate into many other countries. I've checked, as I'm interested in travel.

When a labour shortage exists, and/or the applicant has needed skills which a native cannot fill, that is a different matter. To assume that all IENs should be able to practise simply because they want to...well, this isn't the case. Canada has made it far too easy for immigration in the past, and the government has recognized that policies need to be more restrictive. When the country is experiencing layoffs, restructuring and budget cuts on a massive scale, something needs to happen to curb the numbers.

It's very unfortunate that many other nations are not as prosperous. However, at the rate we're going, Canada's economic position will continue to decline if more people are underemployed and unemployed. Something has to give.

1 Votes
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