BC to Toronto

[travellingnurse1]

Hi there,

I am a BC RN looking to relocate in Toronto and I have a few questions about the process of switching provinces.

1. Should I register with the ONA prior to applying for jobs?

2. Is the market in Toronto difficult to penetrate? I am not picky on what type of nursing I do but specific on location. I have a year and a half of Orthopedics/Oncology nursing.

3. If I plan to move in March/April will it be appropriate to start applying now?

4. What is the best way to apply? Through the hospital websites? Is there a general site where it gives me multiple postings to sort through?

Thanks in advance.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Your quest won't be an easy one.

1. Apply to CNO right away. That process is a lengthy one and having it in progress will look better on your application than if you wait until you have a job.

2. There have been many posts about how difficult it is to get a foot in the door in Toronto. It's one of the most recognized cities in Canada and a destination for lots of newcomers to Canada. The nursing field is pretty well saturated but since you say you're not picky about the type of nursing you do, just WHERE, you might have an easier time.

3. The sooner the better! The process of hiring has become quite lengthy and convoluted so you might not hear anything about an application you've submitted for a month or more after the submission. Then there's arranging interviews, reference checks and on-boarding... it seems like it takes FOREVER!

4. A large percentage of HR management is accomplished on-line these days so that's where I would start. There are job sites that have listings for nursing jobs and they'd also be an avenue for you. Just be aware that the ones ending up on those mass-market sites tend to be unattractive for one reason or another, and has likely been vacant for some time.

Be prepared for this process to take a long time, for it to be expensive and frustrating. It will be, no question. If you're determined, you'll make it happen, but not without some struggle.

[myneighbortotoro]

Hello travellingnurse1,

Just a few things to add. I'm a student in my final year of completing a BScN at a university in Toronto, I agree with the above poster about everything. I think that if you're not picky about what kind of nursing you do, you could also consider agency nursing while you're applying to hospital positions in the meantime. Not ideal, but they're always hiring. I recommend using glassdoor to search for opportunities. Also, the competition is slightly less fierce in the Greater Toronto Area! There are a lot of hospitals outside of downtown Toronto that are still very accessible by public transit.

Best of luck with your relocation!