Nursing student being displaced to Montreal... help please!

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Hello all,

First I just wanted to thank everyone for their contribution as this site has been very helpful in gathering information about nursing in Montreal, but I was also hoping some people might be able to provide advice on my particular situation.

I am an undergrad who has taken some time off and had a few false-starts (Electrical Engineering ended up not being my thing), so I'm 21, but jus finishing my pre-reqs to apply to a nursing program (either Associates or Bachelors) in the US. However, now my partner just got into a PhD program at McGill in Montreal. I should also note that I have no French at this point, though I would obviously plan on learning it ASAP. As far as I can tell I have three options:

1. Go to a CEGEP and practice right after getting my DEC

2. Use CEGEP as a springboard to finishing my BA at McGill

3. Apply directly to McGill (although they seem kind of hostile to transfer students?)

I would really appreciate any advice on which of these might be the best option for me (if I'm correct in assuming they are all possibilities).

In addition, I had a few questions about those options:

1. If I just get my DEC, will I be able to be a RN in other provinces and/or the US?

2. If I decided to do a CEGEP, is there one which is particularly good for nursing?

3. I was also about to get my CNA here in the US, is there any Canadian CNA equivalent, or would that certification be completely irrelevant in Montreal?

Thank you so much for your time and advice!

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Are you a US citizen?

University fees are usually very expensive for visiting students. It's about double in my province, if there is space for you.

Can you meet the requirements for a student visa? Will it permit you to work while here?.

Quebec is very different from the rest of Canada. You'll need to know French to work as an NA because unless you find an all English speaking facility or unit, your patients are going to be francophone.

The trend is for NAs to complete a local course (don't know about PQ) so your work experience should count for something.

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Yes I am a U.S citzen and I'm thinking of applying to McGill and trying to get a student visa that way. I think a visa will allow me to work as well. What does PQ mean? Sorry I'm getting used to the different terminology. Thank you so much for your help!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Yes you can work whilst on a student visa however you have to apply for the work permit as well as student permit and you are restricted to what you can and can't do

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work.asp

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Specializes in Medical unit and ICU.

PQ is Province of Quebec (sometimes QC). Don't confuse BA with BS. As with EE, you need to work towards a BS, specifically nursing. Forget about anything less, it would make you second class for the rest of your career. All provinces are moving towards a BSN requirement for nurses. Also, if your partner is going to get a PhD, you should at least get a full college degree as well. Get your base courses at a community college in the US and then get into an accelerated university nursing program in the US. McGill is overrated and has some requirements such a physics that are really not relevant to nursing. Take the USA NCLEX and get registered in a state, then move to Montreal, keeping in mind that the city and province are now in chaos due to student riots and nothing will be getting better for years. You will need to take a Quebec nursing test which will take two days instead of 2 hours, but which is actually easier than NCLEX. You will never be a "full" nurse in Quebec unless you get fluent in French, but you can take your limited license from Quebec and convert it to another Canadian provincial license if you got your degree in the USA . If you were to get a degree from McGill it would be more difficult to get another provincial license without passing a Canadian test (yes, it sounds incredible but true). Most likely you and your partner will discover the disadvantages of living in Quebec (high taxes, high cost of living, low wages, crumbling infrastructure) and opt for another province or another state in which to live.

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