about be a canada nurse.

oceangirl1234 · Feb 28, 2018

RN jobs in Alberta are very few and far between right now, and that's for nurses who have graduated in Alberta. I would do some more research before deciding to move there.

dayandnight · Mar 1, 2018

If you went to school in countries other than USA, be prepared for a long ride. Most nurses from Asian countries take 3-5years to become a Canadian nurse, mostly due to the English proficiency scores. You will have to take assessment test and then possibly a refresher course depending on your test result. The problem is in Alberta the refresher course waitlist is ridiculous. My friend was on a waitlist and they wanted her to keep taking the IELTS test to keep the test score current. If you can't meet the test score every two years they can actually prevent you from getting the license and taking the refresher course. My friend had to give up and go back to school to become an LPN instead. My other friend got the LPN license right away in Alberta but the job market was so bad so she moved to BC to try toget the RN license

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Mar 2, 2018

Please don't make it sound like English proficiency is a negligible issue. There's a very good reason why IELTS scores are only valid for 2 years. If you don't use a second language all the time, you're going to lose it. The ability to communicate clearly and concisely is not a nicety in health care, it's ESSENTIAL.

There's also a few good reasons why the waitlist for bridging/refresher courses in Alberta is so long. IENs have been told for years that a) Alberta nurses make the most money, b) Alberta has a shortage of nurses and c) Alberta has the lowest taxes. A is true, b is NOT true any more and c is true only if you look at sales taxes. But these things persist in the IEN world so more of them are trying to make their careers here. Another factor is that the gas and oil economy Alberta bases it's entire fortune on has suffered a significant downturn. Many nurses who married people in the gas and oil sector who were able to stay at home with their kids are now having to reinstate their registration in order to pay the bills because their life partner hasn't worked in 2 years. They need refreshers too. Who should the program place their priorities on, the IEN or the local nurse who has been paying Alberta taxes (which fund the program in large part) for his or her entire adult life?

Now to answer Hazel Han's questions. Forgive me for assuming, but I believe you are from China. Based on your post, I'd recommend you take an English course to improve your ability to communicate in English. That will help not only with the application process but with your ability to understand the requirements and instructions the various websites provide. You will have to follow the established process of applying through NNAS to have your education evaluated. Entry-to practice-level Canadian RNs (which is where IENs must start regardless of their work history and experience) are required to have a university degree in nursing science. That's what NNAS will be using as their template for assessing you. Their decisions on that portion of your application will determine your next steps. It's likely that you'll be required to take some courses through a Canadian university to bring your education up to standard. You'll need good English skills for that. Once you've fulfilled all the application criteria, then you're eligible to write the NCLEX, which is the final step before registration is granted. This could take you several years. And it will cost a LOT of money. So prepare yourself for that. If those were the only hurdles in your way you'd be at the finish line. But all those Alberta nurses forced back into the workplace will also be competing with you for the very scarce jobs available. If you're really committed to coming to Alberta and working as an RN here, these are the things you need to know and prepare for. Best wishes.

dayandnight · Mar 3, 2018

Please don't make it sound like English proficiency is a negligible issue. There's a very good reason why IELTS scores are only valid for 2 years. If you don't use a second language all the time, you're going to lose it. The ability to communicate clearly and concisely is not a nicety in health care, it's ESSENTIAL.
There's also a few good reasons why the waitlist for bridging/refresher courses in Alberta is so long. IENs have been told for years that a) Alberta nurses make the most money, b) Alberta has a shortage of nurses and c) Alberta has the lowest taxes. A is true, b is NOT true any more and c is true only if you look at sales taxes. But these things persist in the IEN world so more of them are trying to make their careers here. Another factor is that the gas and oil economy Alberta bases it's entire fortune on has suffered a significant downturn. Many nurses who married people in the gas and oil sector who were able to stay at home with their kids are now having to reinstate their registration in order to pay the bills because their life partner hasn't worked in 2 years. They need refreshers too. Who should the program place their priorities on, the IEN or the local nurse who has been paying Alberta taxes (which fund the program in large part) for his or her entire adult life?
Now to answer Hazel Han's questions. Forgive me for assuming, but I believe you are from China. Based on your post, I'd recommend you take an English course to improve your ability to communicate in English. That will help not only with the application process but with your ability to understand the requirements and instructions the various websites provide. You will have to follow the established process of applying through NNAS to have your education evaluated. Entry-to practice-level Canadian RNs (which is where IENs must start regardless of their work history and experience) are required to have a university degree in nursing science. That's what NNAS will be using as their template for assessing you. Their decisions on that portion of your application will determine your next steps. It's likely that you'll be required to take some courses through a Canadian university to bring your education up to standard. You'll need good English skills for that. Once you've fulfilled all the application criteria, then you're eligible to write the NCLEX, which is the final step before registration is granted. This could take you several years. And it will cost a LOT of money. So prepare yourself for that. If those were the only hurdles in your way you'd be at the finish line. But all those Alberta nurses forced back into the workplace will also be competing with you for the very scarce jobs available. If you're really committed to coming to Alberta and working as an RN here, these are the things you need to know and prepare for. Best wishes.

I didn't say English was a negligible issue. If that were the case I wouldn't have mentioned it. It is not like I said it's unfair that my friend was not able to keep up her English score. She accepted her situation and moved on. It's just that I see so many posts from Asian nurses from China/Korea (not on Allnurses but other websites) who are burnt out and seek a new career abroad and their English proficiency scores don't meet the required score (and are coming to Canada without looking at all the information and being unprepared). I think this is also why a lot of nurses are going to Ontario instead.. since they now waive English scores for foreign nurses with experience as a manager or a care aid, or those who have studied in a healthcare related course.