How can a foreign nurse apply, register and work as a nurse in Canada?

loriangel14, RN · Mar 31, 2011

If you read the stickies at the top of this forum and some of the many many threads on this subject you should be able to find the answers you need.A starting point would be to contact the college of nurses in the province in which you wish to work.

I am sure that one of the AN staff will move this to the International Forum for you.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 31, 2011

Yes there are several threads that discuss this and as per the red banner I have moved this to the International forum

starting point

***Internationally Educated Nurses: VERY IMPORTANT - READ THIS FIRST***

Links to the Provincial Colleges of Nursing

FAQ: The Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE)

Costs vary from province to province and then you add cost of fees from CIC which is here CIC fee Schedule and is still cheaper than using an agency and all forms are on the CIC website in regards to work permit and PR with clear guidelines on how to complete. This is something I have done so can say hand on heart it is easy to complete. English exams have to be done for both CIC and college of RN's so even if you submit application in July when the new list comes out and the caps are reset back to 0 you still need IELTS done before submitting application and same goes for the college, they will not give approval to sit CRNE unless your file is complete and everything is submitted and approved

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Mar 31, 2011

One more comment: The timeline for you could be roughly 12 to 18 months once all the various steps have been taken, assuming that you meet the minimum requirements for licensure. Whether there will be jobs for IENs available by then is anybody's guess.

Did we really need a new thread on this topic, given the dozens that already cover this ground SO thoroughly?

mcpabustan8 · Mar 31, 2011

Hi. where are you from? im here in Canada under a temporary working permit. Im planning to take the CRNE but im just starting to complete the english requirements first.

Hi!
I have read the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website and i am interested about the Federal Skilled Worker(FSW) class for permanent residence. BTW, I am a BSN-RN Nurse in a foreign country currently taking up a Masteral Class (Master of Science in Nursing Major in Med-Surg) at the same time working as a trainee nurse in a tertiary hospital. I am torn between pursuing registration in Australia vs. Canada. I am weighing out things with regards to financial matters, time and the processes to be done.
I am aware that in Australia, I could take a bridging program (3mos.) to become an Aus, RN. However, it will cost me about 10k $ Aus for the BP. On the other hand, i have read that to become a RN in Canada, I must be able to pass the CRNE (exam like the NCLEX but i don't how much it would cost me plus the other details about it). And to apply for FSW, I must pass the IELTS and have atleast one year of continuous full-time paid work experience. There are few threads talking about this path and so I started this thread. Hope you could make it clearer to me on how i can apply and work as a Nurse in Canada. (For those who have successfully done the process even without an agency please shed light on this matter)
Kindly respond
Thank you
Ezela

TazJ · Mar 31, 2011

Ezela,

Start by looking at the requirements for RNs in the province you're looking to work in.

The first step will be to submit all the paperwork required: nursing transcripts, background checks, proof of licensure from the state/country you are licensed in, English language requirements, etc. By the way, the initial application fee is approximately $500 (varies by province) just to have them look at the documents. It may take several months to prepare all this documentation.

After the documents are reviewed, a decision will be made as to whether or not you are competent to practice as an entry-level nurse (or Graduate Nurse) according to the regulations of that particular province. You haven't said where you're coming from and how much nursing experience you have. However, I will say that most provinces are requiring IENs to take the Clinical Competence Assessment (also known as SEC) regardless of where you've been educated (unless you have say 10yrs+ critical care experience- that's the ex. my province gave me). Not sure about all provinces, but I know Manitoba is currently paying for their IENs to take it - it is about $2500 if you pay yourself.

If the CCA/SEC shows you meet entry level competencies, you are given a temporary license (GN status) while you wait to take the CRNE. If not, you have to take a bridging program at a community college which may take approx 6 months (depending on how many courses you have to take). If you are not a permanent resident, the cost of this program can be up to $2500 in Manitoba.

Once you have passed this stage, you are eligible to sit for the CRNE - this costs about $550 and is offered 3 times a year.

My personal advice is to think this through carefully. I moved to Manitoba right after graduating as a BSN in the US and the process has taken longer than expected.

Hope this helps!

ThinkerBelleRN, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2011

There's visa cap for RNs under FSW, as you have already read in the CIC website.. Also, there's hiring freeze everywhere. Even Canadian trained nurses are having hard time finding jobs.