lostintranslation

lol.... mine took forEVER..... and when I received it it was addressed to me in Victoria but instead of British Columbia they put Vancouver. Hmmm ya, cause everything west of Alberta is Vancouver.

I forgot to mention cost of living..... Rent is cheap as far as big cities go..... for instance it's way cheaper to live downtown montreal than Toronto or Vancouver. But it always depends on the area and what you are looking for. Everything else I find pretty comparable.

Montreal was fun..... I say was because I am now in Ontario.... I know, a bit of a sell out but it was more because of my husband than me..... I loved it. It's diverse and exciting. Has more than it's share of problems and I did get a bit sick of the political agenda as far as language goes but I appreciate it for what it is. Unique!

Hi Dollarman, Quebec now accepts the CRNE as equivalent to their exam and so getting your licence should now be fairly straightforward. You will still have to attempt the French exam at least once every year though and take French lessons in order to renew your licence each year. Once you pass that, you are golden. They do pay slightly less than the other provinces. They recognize previous experience though and you will get paid at the "echlon" concurrent with how many years you have been working as a nurse. Also depends if you have your degree or not, which you probably do, but in Quebec they still have 2 year RN programs and those nurses get paid a lot less than nurses with their bachelor's degrees. Good luck!

Brownhairedgal, I agree with you, I had to do this in nursing school and I was uncomfortable with it. I wish I had said something to my instructor at the time. These days most ppl are comfortable with pretty much anything, personal space isn't much of an issue anymore. Unless someone speaks up, the instructors won't think anything of it.

Hi Natalie, I'm from British Columbia but moved to Montreal last year and have been working at the Royal Victoria Hospital for about 13 months now. I too had to navigate my way through the OIIQ and found that they like to take their sweet time. If you are wondering how long things are going to take your best bet is to go in to the OIIQ and talk to someone there (if you are in Montreal) or call them. I know it's sometimes difficult with the language barriers but if you have questions, that's the best thing to do. If you have been approved you might even be able to start looking for jobs and then let them know when you are starting and they will issue you your temporary license. The temp license is good until you pass the OIIQ exam (unless they except your Oz exam?). After you get your full license you still have to write the French Exam, which you have 3 years to pass. But at least you can work during that time. The McGill University Health Centre (http://www.muhc.ca) provides free french classes. This is my employer and the French lessons have been a good experience so far. There are many hoops to jump through to work as a nurse in Quebec. Pay is also the lowest in Canada. So if you're going for it, make sure it's really where you want to be! If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask. Lost In Translation (bcgrad08)

Hi Stanley, Thanks for your thoughts, I'm interviewing for both the Royal Vic and JGH NICUs so hopefully something happens there! Are you Francophone? Was the French test challenging for you?

Hi everyone, thanks for reading my post! I am new to Montreal and finally have CPN status from the OIIQ (yippee!). I'm just wondering where people work or have worked and what they can say about it. I'm particularly interested in the NICU and pediatrics. I know there are a few different NICUs and was wondering if any have apparent reputations about working environment and things like that. Also, I am Anglophone (learning French), so where might I be able to practice safely and efficiently without having too much trouble? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Hi Everyone! I'm a brand spankin new graduate (as of June 5th) and am following my hunny from Victoria, BC to Montreal in July. I've just finished submitting all of my application documents for my recognition of equivalence to the OIIQ. Here are my questions: 1. About how long is it going to take for my file to be reviewed by the OIIQ? 2. Should I write the OIIQ professional exam, OR apply for equivalency through Ontario? (Which would be easier, quicker, cheaper etc?) 3. Do I have any chance of working at Montreal Children's Hospital without being fluent in French? (Peds is my passion). 4. Should I apply for a job now (while still in Victoria), wait until I am in Montreal, or wait until I am granted my nursing license from the OIIQ? Thanks! Any insight or info into this stressful process is appreciated!:redpinkhe