I moved to Canada as a nurse!!!!!

[NataliaK]

Originally I am from Russia but I received my Associate of nursing degree in USA. After graduation from Denver School of Nursing, Colorado I had been working as a registered nurse (RN) for almost one year.

I really liked to live and work in USA. But unfortunately I was urged to move from USA due to the fact that I did not have bachelor of Nursing and with ASN I could not get my US work visa. It is funny to see all these ads after that claiming that USA needs nurses. May be it does but it is very difficult for foreign nationality to stay in USA.

So I have less than 6 months to find a good alternative for my US nursing job. Canada was the first on my mind.

There is a flood of information on Internet but it takes forever to read through all these governmental websites trying to decide what province of Canada I am suitable best and I did not really care what part of Canada to go. All Canadian provinces have their own requirements for licensing of foreign nurses. Now I know that they are pretty much similar but at that time I did not know anything about nursing requirements in Canada. I choose Nova Scotia (Atlantic province of Canada) because I always wanted to live near the ocean.

I applied as a RN to the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia to find out that my Associate of nursing degree from US is not enough to be registered as RN here in Canada. I was suggested to come to Halifax, Canada for assessment. For me it was simply impossible.

First I needed a Canadian visa and besides that I would not be able to return to USA (where I could officially stayed only for short 5 months) and I am not saying that it is a LOT of money to travel to Canada, staying in the hotel plus I still could not be sure how this assessment would go.

Close to a nervous breakdown I found a local consulting and recruitment agency for foreign-trained nurses in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I was suggested do apply as LPN to the College of Licensed Practical nurses of Nova Scotia. Thankfully my application was approved. I was offered a job by this recruitment agency (everything was FREE) and they found me a place to live in the apartment complex located on the territory of my future work. So it was really convenient. I did not need to buy a car right away everything was close.

So to summarize my experience: I started looking for the ways to go to Canada in October 2009. My RN application was refused in November. In December I applied as LPN and by April 2010 I was able to come to Canada. By the way my family came later.

I was just blown away by Canadian Hospitality. I was met at the airport by personal of the agency . They also helped me a lot during my first week in Canada plus found me place to live.

Some more interesting facts from my Canadian experience:

1/ It happened that I came already pregnant to Canada. To my big surprise I was eligible to have one year maternity leave after full time of work during my first 8 months in Canada.

2/ Being an American graduate I even was not asked to go through the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE).

3/ I applied for permanent residency after one year of staying in Canada through Nova Scotia Nominee program though I am still waiting for it. Hope to receive it soon.

So it will be soon almost 2 years in Canada. It seems to me that People at work are more relaxed compare to US.

But I finally got use to this "Canadian slowness ". I love Canada:redbeathe and I think I found my new home.

[enfield]

Hi,

I am an IEN.hOW DO I GET pnp FOR EG aLBERTA WHEN I AM OUSIDE CANADA.cOULD A CARING NURSE TELL ME A GOOG AGENCY THAT CAN ASSIST ME.gOT MY ielts.Thanks

Enfield

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

writing capitals is classed as shouting in BB talk.

If you check out the CIC website it will tell you how to go through the various routes to get PR. Alberta however you may have issues in getting a job due to how the set up is in regards to new grads, rightly so, getting priority for jobs. Have you registered with the college yet?

[sumita]

Hello Nataliak..its so good to read ur post... i was getting a little disappointed... Congratulations to u and god bless u.. can u plz email me the agency name and website my email is [email protected]..

[sumita]

I also wanted to know how much do LPNS get paid..

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

sumita said:

I also wanted to know how much do LPNS get paid..

If you check the Canadian forum there is a sticky that lists the provinces and pay scales

[mommy1019]

Congratulations!!! I am also on the same boat. Graduated last December with ADN and passed my CA-NCLEX on February. Working in home-care as per diem and still struggling to gain entry in acute care. So, now I'm trying the possibility of moving to Canada. Recently submitted my application for CARNA, was advised that my ADN will make me qualify to sit for the CRNE. The stumbling block I have is that I can not find an employer that would hire a new grad let alone from the USA. Perhaps, the name of the local consulting and recruitment agency will be shared, Thanks!!!

[Fiona59]

mommy1019 said:

Congratulations!!! I am also on the same boat. Graduated last December with ADN and passed my CA-NCLEX on February. Working in home-care as per diem and still struggling to gain entry in acute care. So, now I'm trying the possibility of moving to Canada. Recently submitted my application for CARNA, was advised that my ADN will make me qualify to sit for the CRNE. The stumbling block I have is that I can not find an employer that would hire a new grad let alone from the USA. Perhaps, the name of the local consulting and recruitment agency will be shared, Thanks!!!

CARNA means you are looking to settle in Alberta. Which is the other side of the country from NS. Think Maryland v. Colorado.

The main employer of nurses in AB is AHS and priority is being given to locally produced new grads. Consulting agencies will do you no good in this province.

[dayandnight]

Can I have the contact information for the agency you contacted at Nova Scotia?

My email is [email protected]

It's nice to know someone who has actually succeeded in finding a job in times like this. Things in the US are going downhill, and with the new Immigration Reform, I am not sure how harder it will become for foreign nurses to stay in the US. I got rejected for jobs at a local hospital here after they found out I had an F-1 visa.

After hearing that, my dreams to stay in the US was a bit crushed... but I am not giving up yet.

This is a stressful time for all of us. It makes me feel better to see you succeed at your new home.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Most agencies or even employers here in NS require minimum of eligibility to sit CRNE before offering jobs. Even then the process can take several months so be aware. Also at the moment the main NS employer for hospitals priority is to accept internal applicants only that means you must be already working for them either as a casual or full/part time. Some LTC facilities may accept you however eligibility is required for the CRNE if not already passed it. You then have to go through immigration which again can take time and a medical will be required before work or PR is approved

[theoxify]

hi Miss NATALIAk...

its good i went over this thread.. ive been finding infos on how to start applying at canada. NS. i have an aunt living at nova scotia and is willing to help me.. she told me to undergo the assessment and im passing it this week.. what comes next? pls email me [email protected].. i need your help pls.. thank you

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

theoxify said:

hi Miss NATALIAk...

its good i went over this thread.. ive been finding infos on how to start applying at canada. NS. i have an aunt living at nova scotia and is willing to help me.. she told me to undergo the assessment and im passing it this week.. what comes next? pls email me [email protected].. i need your help pls.. thank you

Until you have submitted your application to NS college of RNs hard to say what the next step will be,May be assessment is required may be not required. Most employers will not look at your application until you can state on it you have eligibility to sit CRNE.

[theoxify]

Silverdragon102 said:

Until you have submitted your application to NS college of RNs hard to say what the next step will be,May be assessment is required may be not required. Most employers will not look at your application until you can state on it you have eligibility to sit CRNE.

so you mean i should directly sit for the CRNE?