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.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

We initially came over on a TWP through my husband and we had no interview or required anything as proof of leaving the country at the end. All we had to submit was exactly what was requested on the paperwork. My husband was asked for further documents but more to show he had the qualifications that he had listed on the paperwork. We also had to provide proof of funds which was a bank statement showing funds available. If you then apply for PR and have a full time employer then you do not need proof of funds but if no employer and applying for PR you do need to show proof of funds

[lokipr]

Im a US nurse with a Baccalaureate degree and 5 years of nursing experience since I passed the Nclex. I want to move to Ottawa in Ontario and wondering if I have to pass their nursing examination. Or what to do about it?

I also have to apply for a work permit which I cannot get without a job offer but I cannot get anyone to offer me a job if I dont have a Ontario nursing license.

I have a place to stay since my fiance lives there. He is not a Canadian citizen, he is Indian and has a work visa also so he cannot sponsor me if we get married.

If anyone has any advice for me please contacte at [email protected]

[loriangel14, RN]

Yes you have to apply for a nursing license in Ontario.You must meet the requirements laid out by the CNO.If you meet them you will get permission to write the CRNE.

[jangirl]

April 22, '12 by mercy

i want to work also as LPN, pls may i know the name of the agency. thanks.

[loriangel14, RN]

Agency for what? Are you in Canada already? Do you have a license?

[mjcanada]

What is the name of the agency of the consulting agency in Halifax, they seemed to have been a big help. Do you find that working as an LPN is similar to the associated degree nursing you did in the US? So glad that you love Canada, and especially Nova Scotia, as I was born there! Very friendly people!

[mjcanada]

I think that RNs from the Philippines should apply to credential as LPNS first, as the 4 year degree from the Philippines is assessed by many qualification assessment agencies (IQAS in Alberta for example) as being roughly equivalent to 2.5-3 year nursing diploma in Canada. There may be a better chance of getting a job in Alberta, especially in the rural areas and northern communities such as Slave Lake or Fort McMurray. The similarity between the RN and LPN role is roughly a 70% overlap.Predictability of client outcome may determine which nurse ( RN or LPN), will care for which clients: a fresh pacemaker versus an established pacemaker, for example. Interestingly, approximately 40% of Canadian RNs have a basic preparation of a 2 or 3 year diploma, and are still practising as RNs.(the entry to practice now of course is a 4 year BSN).The LPN curriculum ( in Alberta and some other provinces) is an enriched version of the previous RN 2 year diploma, and it includes university level courses in English literature, Anatomy and Physiology, Health Education, Sociology and Psychology. Also included is an Adult Physical Assessment courses which was not included in the previous RN 2 year diploma. LPN is classified as a professional nurse in Alberta under the Health Professions Act.

[nas43]

CAN YOU PLEASE SEND ME THE NAME OF THE RECRUITMENT AGENCY. MY EMAIL [email protected]. thank you

[tigress_8207, ASN, BSN]

Hi can anyone please email me the name of the agency [email protected]

[shrmba]

I am a American RN with several years of pediatric radiology, surgery, and ED experience. I want to live in Canada! I just need help finding a reputable company to help me with this dream. Any information is greatly appreciated

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

shrmba said:

I am a American RN with several years of pediatric radiology, surgery, and ED experience. I want to live in Canada! I just need help finding a reputable company to help me with this dream. Any information is greatly appreciated

You don't need a company to do this. Where in Canada do you want to live and work in?

[ria26]

I'm just wondering what was the name of the agency please? Anyone?