Fully licensed IEN in Nova Scotia difficulty finding work

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Are there any IENs presently in Nova scotia trying to get a job in an Acute care facility and having difficulty? I travelled here in January with the purpose of taking the CRNE and at the same time to look for a job so I can apply for my work permit.I have since cleared the exam and got my new CRNNS license but so far no job offer.I have submitted numerous online applications thru capital health but no success so far.The thing is I have seen the same job being reposted 2-3 times and how come my application has not even progressed to the interview stage. I sent them few follow-up emails asking wether they consider IENs for the job and not just canadian trained nurses,their answer is,"It is their way of building a case to the HRDC that a position can not be filled-up by canadians".That is fine,but for a period of 3-4 months?I am now thinking that maybe they find my experience not suited even though my previous and most recent experience matched the job requirements being advertised. I am an old nurse 15+ years experience in Med-Surg,Orthopedics and neonatal nursing.Anybody out there,fellow IENs having the same predicament as mine? Or are there anybody who has the exact opposite to my story? please share..I am now nearing the end of my legal stay and thinking about the 5months just gone like that...no job & finance depleted.It is very disheartening.....

Silver-thank you for your empathy.

It is beautiful here and the quality of life is fantastic.

We moved up here so my husband could go to school for a one year international program. We were kind of depending on my income to get us through comfortably. Now we are stuck with our lease and I have no license. I have a work permit, so I could get a job as a server or something, but wanted to hold out for my RN license. I would be happy to take an exam, but I found out in early April that the test wouldn't be available until mid-May-that's six weeks later. I am just at the point where I can not wait any longer. I just wish I had known all of this before. Again, I learned my lesson. Do everything way ahead of time. Months and months before you think you need to. Maybe even years.

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USCRNP

The CRNNS states how many hours are needed for a license, maybe you missed reading it when you were intially applying(?). Anyways, it is the second point on the document titled "English language proficiency and nursing program requirements applicable to internationally educated nurses" http://www.crnns.ca/documents/requirementsgradsfromoutsidecanada.pdf

regards

dishes

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

There are no "northern provinces". Eight of the ten provinces have borders with the US, the exceptions being the two islands, PEI and Newfoundland. There are three northern TERRITORIES, one of which borders on Alaska.

It looks like you counted your chickens before they hatched... made a lot of assumptions. Just so you know, Canadians moving south don't have it all that easy. For example Canadian nurses must still meet the states' educational requirements and pass their NCLEX before they can be licensed; they can't just show up at the border, get a TN visa and jump into a job. The process is really not all that different and the timeline not really any shorter. They can't open bank accounts or take out mortgages, have their gas and electric turned on, obtain telephone or cable television services, insure and license their cars and a huge number of other things without jumping through many flaming hoops and/or paying generous deposits. This happens even to representatives of our federal government, the US's largest trading partner and comrade-at-arms. And as time goes by it gets more and more difficult. Seems as though xenophobia isn't limited to the CRNNS...

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Northern nursing isn't for the new grad, new arrival in Canada, nor the non-robust of heart. You are often the ONLY healthcare provider for 1000s of kms. You need to be aware of the health issues and culture of the people of the North.

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janfrn-Wow-you told me! And I got a free history geography lesson. Thanks. Look, this web post was about people coming here and having difficulty finding work. It is ok for us to voice the difficulties we are having. I have never tried to work outside of my country before. It is not as easy as I thought. Now I know. You don't have to be snooty about it.

janfrn-The nursing shortage is not happening because the economy is bad. When the economy is bad it just appears that there no nursing shortage because the hospitals stop hiring. They still don't have enough nurses to take care of everybody, though. It is just an illusion that there are too many nurses because they stop hiring. If there is no nursing shortage here right now, then why does the Lunenburg ED keep closing because one nurse has called out? I keep hearing it on the radio.

And, I didn't complain about opening a bank account or any of the other problems we had, just the nursing license process. I just had the foolish notion that my master's from a world-renowned university that has a world-renowned health system plus my actual work experience trumped the undergrad nursing hours from over 10 years ago.

And I know it is not easy to move to the states or get licensed there, just that pretty much all of the states I have looked into applying to have a separate category for Canadian nurses and I am a little surprised that nurses from the states are not placed in a separate category.

Tip for IEN nurses-make sure you get the MEDICAL work permit, not a regular permit if you want to work here. The very nice people at customs and immigration pointed this out for me.

dishes-Thank you. I am trying to see how I missed that. Darn.

It is funny though, it never would have occurred to me that my undergrad clinical hours were different. Hmmm. I think the greater number of hours needed are definitely a good thing. Maybe we in the states need to increase our hours a little.

janfrn-

I meant geography lesson, not history geography lesson-I am not even sure that is a real topic. LOL.

dishes

Hmmm, I just assumed I would have equivalent education. Ooops.

I am trying to see how I missed the link to the pdf and I can not find the link to the from the CRRNS home page. I looked under all of the IEN categories and a few other places. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

uscrnp

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USCRNP

I must confess, I just googled it and the page came up. Why is it that it can be harder to find information when you look specifically for it on a website? Is it because we can't see the forrest for the trees? or is it because many websites are not designed to be user friendly? Anyways, whenever I cannot find information on a website I google it.

dishes

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I couldn't find it either. ( the link)

I haven't been on the Nova Scotia Web site in awhile and it has changed. One thing I noticed is how comprehensive it is for every nurse ( including Canadians) to apply for a license and renew.

TO USCRNP did you go to an accelerated program ?

It use to be if you passed the NLN-State Board test ( the test before NCLEX) you didn't have to take the CRNE, now every nurse has to take the CRNE.

Having high nursing standards is not a bad thing.... changing application process when there are plenty of nurse also makes sense ( rather then change when there is a shortage).

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USCRNP

I can understand why one would assume that CRNNS should consider a masters level education more than equivalant to entry level RN. Maybe the admissions staff are rigid about interpretting the rules exactly as written. However, maybe they are open to challenges from applicants and allow applicants to complete an equivalancy table to show that although the undergrad education did not contain all of the required hours, the masters education more than made up these hours, wouldn't hurt to ask.

dishes

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Rehabilitation,.

I am a RN from Philippines. I've been intrigued by your discussion in this thread since today, after a couple of weeks of figuring out where to work until I'll be able to sit for CRNE, I decided to do it all in NS. I am currently processing my immigrant visa. By september, I'll be able to hear from the embassy whether my application is denied or not. I am being optimisitic and hoping I'll get the green light. So, I am planning ahead with my application for registration as a RN. I plan to start applying for assessment after I hear from the embassy on September. My dilemma for the past week was which province to register myself in? I weighed the pros and cons and I've finally decided that doing it in NS would be best and easier for me since I am single, and I don't think i can afford to support myself if I'll do it in Ontario or Alberta (which were my original choices) coz I don't have an employer yet. The main advantage in heading straight to NS from here (Philippines) is that I have a cousin who lives there with her family. I've considered that I might not find a job as soon as I wish i would be able to. So, having someone to take me in for a period of time while I am being assessed (if it won't be done before i land in Canada) and finishing the exam, is a big difference compared to me living in a province without anybody to help me (especially if I can't find a job in months). Reading from all of your posts, I must admit it scares me. But then again, isn't Canada (in general) presently facing unemployment problems with nurses including their local graduates?

Are the odds of me finding a job (as a RN) in NS similar to other provinces too?

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Rehabilitation,.

how's the jobmarket in nova scotia nowadays?? I still can't decide whether I should move to Toronto or n.s (truro).

:(

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

What I find hard to understand is the lack of responses when sending in application or resume. Apparently this can be normal not just in NS but other provinces

careerbeacon would be a good place to look in regards to jobs but you will have to chase resumes up a few weeks after submission

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Rehabilitation,.
What I find hard to understand is the lack of responses when sending in application or resume. Apparently this can be normal not just in NS but other provinces

careerbeacon would be a good place to look in regards to jobs but you will have to chase resumes up a few weeks after submission

thank you. I'm looking for jobs online & nit just healthcare related ones. i'd take any job I can get. that would really help me make a decision with where to move. I welcome and would appreciate morr suggestions.

thanks!

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