I just want to share my personal experience moving to Canada to work as a nurse. And, I would like to encourage anybody who is dreaming to move to Canada to work as a nurse.
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.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
theoxify said:
so you mean i should directly sit for the CRNE?
As mentioned by Fiona you need to apply to the provincial college of RN they will review your application and decide on the next step, you may need to go through some form of assessment before they will give eligibility to sit CRNE there again you may not.
As mentioned by Fiona you need to apply to the provincial college of RN they will review your application and decide on the next step, you may need to go through some form of assessment before they will give eligibility to sit CRNE there again you may not.
thanks for that... is the processing long? well maybe it depends..
Specializes in EDUCATION;HOMECARE;MATERNAL-CHILD; PSYCH.
I love all these positive comments about working as a nurse in Canada. How are nurses treated in Canada? Are nurses considered professionals or "hand maidens' to the doctors? Are advanced practice nurses recognized and accepted?
The answers to that probably depend on who you ask. I feel that generally we are treated pretty well and are considered professionals. I have never worked in another country so I have nothing to compare it to. In the hospital that I work in the majority of doctors and nurses treat each other with mutual respect, with the odd exception but that will happen anywhere. Advance practice nurses are utilized and accepted where I am as well.
l was feeling very desperate right now and l happened to come across your post and it gave me hope. l have been in Canada for just over a year now and cannot get a job as an RN in BC as l am an IEN. May you please email me the name of the recruiting agency that helped you.Congratulations on your successful move!
So glad to find this post. This is what I've been looking for a long time. A Light at the end of the tunnel. I'm also an ADN RN in the states. First, in 2004, I worked in a Nursing Home subacute skilled unit as LPN for 2years while schooling for RN. Graduated and passed RN Nclex in 2006. Worked in a Hospital Med-Surg. Unit from 2007-March, 2011. Started the College of Nurses of Ontario RN registration in July,2009, disapproved in Oct, 2009 and was advised to apply for RPN. In Oct. 2010, I applied for RPN, additional information requested from CNO in Dec., 2010. In Feb.,2011 I summited all requested Documents. Till today, my application is still in process. I moved to Ontario at end of March, 2011. Does anyone knows any RN-BSN online school in the States that I can attend while enduring this long processing wait? Any U.S BSN schools that will be approved in Ontario? Can e-mail me @ [email protected] I highly appreciate any advice. Thanks
So glad to find this post. This is what I've been looking for a long time. A Light at the end of the tunnel. I'm also an ADN RN in the states. First, in 2004, I worked in a Nursing Home subacute skilled unit as LPN for 2years while schooling for RN. Graduated and passed RN Nclex in 2006. Worked in a Hospital Med-Surg. Unit from 2007-March, 2011. Started the College of Nurses of Ontario RN registration in July,2009, disapproved in Oct, 2009 and was advised to apply for RPN. In Oct. 2010, I applied for RPN, additional information requested from CNO in Dec., 2010. In Feb.,2011 I summited all requested Documents. Till today, my application is still in process. I moved to Ontario at end of March, 2011. Does anyone knows any RN-BSN online school in the States that I can attend while enduring this long processing wait? Any U.S BSN schools that will be approved in Ontario? Can e-mail me @ [email protected] I highly appreciate any advice. Thanks
If you are planning on staying and working in Canada, you would be better served by looking into Athabasca University
Wow ,congratulations!!! I am happy for you. Reading your post gave me hope, am not gonna give up though some threads here discourage one that there are no jobs for IEN, am glad you shared your success story. God Bless you.
Could you kindly let me know the name of the IEN recruitment agency that assisted you. My email address [email protected]. God bless you.
Thanks Chinma for your reply. I haven't posted enough, on this site, to be able to reply PM. Please contact me via [email protected] I sent you an e-mail before on the above address provided. God Bless you
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.
Fiona59
8,343 Posts
No, you apply to the provincial college of nurses. They assess your education and eligibilty for the exam.