International student - Nursing is my DREAM

Fiona59 · Oct 14, 2015

OK, first piece of advice, change your user name. Makes you too identifiable in the real world.

You do realize that overseas students are charged usually double the tuition fees posted in the calendars? How do you propose to fund the portion that your family can't afford? How are you going to support yourself while here?

Why Canada?

FarahFMJ37 · Oct 14, 2015

Hi Fiona.

Where exactly can I change it from?

Yes, I am well aware of the international tuition fees. These international tuition fees are even more affordable than the fees here in the city I live in, so it's a better option for me to study abroad.

I'm hopefully going to be working part time during my studies and during the breaks (it is allowed, I checked the rules). My high school average was quite high, it was 95.6 so I'm hoping I'll get a scholarship. Why Canada? Well so many reasons. Primarily because almost all of my uncles and cousins live there and I would appreciate the company. And because the education in Canada is way better than here.

loriangel14, RN · Oct 14, 2015

Collaborative programs are programs that are a collaboration between a college and a university. BSN programs are usually solely done through a university but now some are a collarboration between college and university. are you planning on going back home after school is over?

FarahFMJ37 · Oct 14, 2015

Yes.. most the universities have collaborative programs now. Do you know which ones are the best?

Well I would like to stay in Canada after graduation. I have an uncle who is a doctor and he is willing to help me find find a job after graduating, in his clinic or in one of the hospitals he worked at. My mother also wants me to stay in Canada after graduating because life here in my city is very hard. I've done my research and I know the procedure for staying after graduation (CEC, PNP, finding a job offer). But that's a long time from now so I'd like to concentrate on university for now..

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 14, 2015

Just so you know your uncle may find it difficult to find you a job as the government has stamped down heavily on this subject. You are lucky if studied in Canada that more jobs are open for you and if your course is over 12 months long then for each year of the course = a year you can get a work permit for. For example if your course is 3 years long then you get a work permit for 3 years.

loriangel14, RN · Oct 14, 2015

SD is right. You may only get a work permit for as long as your program. In a union faculty your uncle may not be able to get you a job, family member or not. It doesn't work that way in Canada.

FarahFMJ37 · Oct 15, 2015

Yeah, I know about the Post graduation work permit. If I study for 4 years, I can get a 3 years work permit. I know people talk about how hard it is to find a job in Canada but is it really THAT hard? Everyone keeps saying that but SO many people we know went to Canada on a job offer and they told us it wasn't as hard as people make it seem. Yes they had to search hard but they were able to find a job. And keep in mind they were not living in Canada when they searched for a job, so I have a feeling that living IN the country and graduating from a Canadian university can also help me towards finding a decent job.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 15, 2015

Depends on the job and where. You will have an advantage on staying but nursing is a tough area to find jobs. Most start off if lucky as casual and slowly progress to full time

loriangel14, RN · Oct 15, 2015

You will find it difficult being a noncitizen competing with Canadian citizens for work.

dayandnight · Oct 16, 2015

It is very hard. I am an Internationally Educated Nurse who studied in the US and went to Canada. Finding a job was not easy. If I could give you an advice, get a driver's license in your home country as soon as possible so you can easily transfer to a driver's license when you come to Canada. Driving will make it easier for you to go around looking for jobs and will make your life easier if you want to commute for your clinical practicum. I don't know how much connections your uncle has but unless you get a full time job right after graduating from school or get it within 1 year of graduation, it will be difficult to apply under PNP or CEC because you really, REALLY need a full time PERMANENT job offer in order to apply for immigration. In addition, almost no hospitals will sponsor you to help you extend your visa when it runs out in 3 years, so you really have to be under immigration processing via PNP or CEC in that 3 years of time (PGWP).

Just apply for schools and make sure you read CIC and keep track of the immigration law changes so you can easily adapt when the laws change. + Also look into working early during your nursing program to gain experience before graduation to help you get a job after graduation. International students have a lot, and A LOT of barriers stacked against them in finding jobs.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

joanna73, BSN, RN · Oct 16, 2015

Considering that you are not local, you will find the job market more competitive than the average new grad. Also, most facilities are unionized and all the postings are scrutinized. There is a process to applying and interviewing for postings.

The BScN programs are very similar in nature. Unless you have a preference for a certain location, it really doesn't matter where you study in Canada.