british columbia nursing agencies

[amelia1979]

hi everyone,

i really want to get to british columbia. Im awaiting eligibility to come through but just wondered which agencies would be good to use or is it best to go it alone. Also are british columbia recruiting nurses. All help very welcome

[OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN]

I am from BC and I've never heard of an "agency". Do you mean to work from, as in sending you out on jobs, or helping you find a job?

And no, BC is not recruiting nurses right now. There are new grads having trouble finding jobs right now. At least where I live in the central interior. Not sure about Vancouver and Vancouver Island though. Or up North. There may be openings there.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Several of the health regions in BC are LAYING OFF staff. Perhaps not directly, but by not filling vacancies.

As ogopogoLPN says, Canada really doesn't use agencies in the way other countries do. There are no travelers here, which often comes as a shock to people used to how the US operates. Every province has union contracts for RNs and LPNs that complicate the use of agency staff. In Canada our practice permits cost in the range of $400 to $500 per year per province, so it's not an inexpensive proposition here.

[amelia1979]

i meant would it be best to register with an agency to get a job, not actual agency working.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Yeah, those don't exist for nurses here. The major employers in every province are the health regions and you apply directly to them. They aren't about to pay a finder's fee to an agency for placement of staff they can find on their own.

[amelia1979]

thanks for that. ill keep on trying as determined to get there one day!