british columbia recruitment freeze

loriangel14, RN · Aug 3, 2010

Are you already in possession of a license and a visa allowing you to work?

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Aug 3, 2010

This is definitely true.

#1. Bed cuts = nursing layoffs...

CTV British Columbia - Surrey Memorial quietly ends care for premature babies - CTV News

BC Nurses Union

http://www.hsabc.org/content.php?id=335

The Cuts

BC Nurses Union

http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/video/archive.asp?video=201003040930&time=11:15&toc=archive

#2. Patient'-focused funding = continual staffing uncertainties...

BC Nurses Union

At a time when graduates of Canadian nursing schools are not finding work, it would be political suicide for any health region in the country to recruit internationally-educated nurses. Health care personnel shortages that result in such recruitment drives are cyclical and historically have been once every couple of decades. The situation as it stands now will not swing back to the desperation seen two years ago for at least several years. Individual nurses from outside of Canada may find work but there will not be wholesale recruiting efforts seen any time soon.

amelia1979 · Aug 3, 2010

I am unsure of whether to obtain a visa first, would this give me a better chance of gaining employment? I have spoken to an adviser at healthstaff.org who advises me to get a visa which would put me in a greater position. Is this true or does he just want my money as they would charge a fee for assisting with this. Sorry for being cynical but i just want to know the best way to go about this.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · Aug 4, 2010

I am unsure of whether to obtain a visa first, would this give me a better chance of gaining employment? I have spoken to an adviser at healthstaff.org who advises me to get a visa which would put me in a greater position. Is this true or does he just want my money as they would charge a fee for assisting with this. Sorry for being cynical but i just want to know the best way to go about this.

A visa would legally allow you to work, but no, it wouldn't give you a better chance at finding a job. My manager recently told me when she does hire any new staff (including nurses), she ALWAYS looks at locals first. So a local could be an immigrant who can work in BC and has lived in our area for a while or a person who was born and raised here. But someone applying with a work visa would not get first priority. She likes to take care of her own community first and I appreciate that. :)

:nurse:

healthdesk · Aug 4, 2010

Hello Amelia!

Welcome to allnurses. I would have to agree with everyone here, as well as numerous posts about the difficulties in today's Canadian job market for nurses. They have really implemented an almost absolute freeze hire here.

By the way, I am also from BC, an Immigrant, I am an RN, I was also and still is an RN in the US with several years of experience. I must say it is really really tough here now! Even my MN isn't helping much.

I can understand the cry of the local graduates as they are suffering the most in this difficult times for nurses the world over.

Best of luck, and by the way, yes Canada is a great place, having its own unique character! Canadians are blessed with a beautiful land.

NoPrisoners · Aug 5, 2010

If you go here: http://www.healthmatchbc.org/HMBC_vacancy_search_nurses.asp?pageid=706 you can see that it looks pretty bleak.

I'm doing an ADN then BSN route as I need to work sooner rather than later and am hoping that by the time my BSN is completed things will be a little better as I'd hoped to end up around Vancouver. I'm an American citizen who was born overseas and grew up in a mixed expat population and prefer the Canadian healthcare system to my own. Plus, Vancouver is beautiful, the people are fun and friendly and there are lots of horsey areas (must have on my list!). Here's to things looking up for everyone soon. :beer: