How do I move my nursing license to another country?

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Dec 31, 2012

The short answer is that if you are educated and licensed in one country, you will be required to go through an evaluation of your educational qualifications and eligibility for licensure in another country.

Your degree will be assessed as far as its equivalency to the current requirements in the new country. Each country will be different with a their own respective regulations surrounding what an entry level nurse should be trained upon. There is no one single answer to this.

Your RN license in the US does not automatically transfer to another country. You will need to meet requirements for licensure in the new country based on established regulations set forth by the new country's regulatory nursing board (or BON as we call it here). This may entail having to take the new country's licensure exam if it does exist.

There is no fast or easy way, everyone goes through the same process as a foreign trained nurse licensed in a foreign country and rules will be specific for the country you will be applying for.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Dec 31, 2012

UK does not currently accept ADN only BSN. As mentioned in previous post license in one country doesn't mean you can transfer to another. For Canada you have to meet provincial College of RN requirements and for most it is BSN although not saying ADN isn't accepted but may not be accepted. Then you have to pass CRNE to be able to work in Canada as a RN. Even meeting nurse requirements doesn;t mean you will meet the country's immigration requirements however a USC can use NAFTA to work in Canada