Canadian RPN moving to Illinois

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 16, 2008

I am a Canadian RPN, and will be moving to Illinois, Chicago area, and am not sure where to start with applying for a license and whether or not i can just write the exam?? Any direction would be appreciated.
Am interested in LTC or psych nursing. Thanks in advance,
Jo-Anne

You need to follow requirements with Illinios BON for foreign trained nurse, you are looking at a few months before you can sit the exam once the BON has made a decision.

http://www.idfpr.com/dpr/WHO/nurs.asp

Moved to the International forum where you will find much already written

rph3664 · Mar 16, 2008

I just want to warn you that it can take seemingly FOREVER to get an Illinois license. The bureaucracy is a nightmare, and I swear they simply don't answer their phones.

Can't say you haven't been warned.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 16, 2008

Bigger question is what type of visa that you have or will have. Not sure which part of Canada that you are from, whether psych or the LPN is your specialty. The LPN will not get you a visa to work in the US, if you do not already have a green card via some other route or marriage, etc.

The psych RN that they have in western Canada may not meet the requirements for licensure if you do not have all of the clinical and theory hours in the required subjects such as maternal health as well as peds.

Writing the NCLEX exam in the US is just like writing the exams in Canada, you have to have permission to be able to sit for it by a BON. Illinois also requires the CES, which is a credentials eval and you can use the one thru CGFNS. They will not even look at your application without that being done.

Please also be aware that getting a license in the US does not automatically get you a visa to work in the US, licensure is completely separate from immigration.