which province/place in canada is best to work as a nurse

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Aug 18, 2014

Let me see if I understand what you're asking. You came to Canada without first laying the ground work to be able to work. You haven't given any information about what circumstances led you to go to Québec in the first place. You took advantage of a Québec government program that paid you while you learned French (which, incidentally, is not available to Canadians from other provinces, only to people from other countries). You blame Canada Post for the amount of time it took for OIIQ to receive your paperwork but don't give information about how Canada Post mishandled your documents. Your educational and nursing history documentation has now been provided to OOIQ but you're tired of waiting for a decision from them. You don't say if you've passed the OOIQ registration exam, which is the final requirement for licensure. So now you want to go somewhere else using the license you're anticipating from Québec, but where it will be easier and cheaper to find a job and you want help in accomplishing that. Have I got it?

First off, you will still have to undergo an assessment of documents no matter which province you're in, whether or not you have a Québec license. The Colleges in the other provinces are all going to want the same original documentation that OOIQ demanded, so you'll have to send out authorizations for release of information to all the same places as before. And you will have to pay all the associated assessment fees. If you haven't passed a registration exam, you will have to do that as well.

Second, there is no place in the country where it will be easy to find a job as a nurse. Each province is struggling with economic conditions that limit the amount of spending available for health care. Provinces where housing is inexpensive have no nursing vacancies. Of the places you listed, only Alberta is a province. Vancouver, which has the highest real estate prices in the country, is a city in the province of British Columbia. Winnipeg, which has lowish real estate prices, is the capital city of the province of Manitoba. Vancouver and most of BC have a glut of nurses who are unemployed or under-employed. Alberta has a handful of vacant positions in extremely isolated towns but AHS is not offering any assistance for relocation. Winnipeg may have vacancies posted, but positions aren't necessarily being filled.

I can understand the desire for a better life, but I cannot understand the lack of preparation for such a huge change so many people display. All of this information could have been collected and acted upon from a position of relative stability before any irrevocable changes have been made. Is it really a good idea to take a leap, thinking one can build their wings on the way down?

sweetsugarrush · Aug 18, 2014

i thank you for your honest response - "took advantage of a government program" honestly this is the best possible way to learn the language and communicate with other people. I have also studied french in my country but d/t the requirements from the government in order to work and preserve their french language it is best to study it rather than looking dumb in front of francophones. It was offered so what better way than take the opportunity to learn it. I was even grateful for it as I have said earlier though I still needed to work at the same study cause it was not enough. And it was only offered for a couple of months after these months the subsidized pay would then be terminated which leaves us no choice to work but finding a work would leave us a small chance cause it's either they need someone to speak fluently in french. More so, we are still required to study, I am open to studying of course but considering the cost of living and other payments it has been quite difficult. So I hope you understand my frustration. That is why I have considered the option of even looking into other provinces or places where I could find a decent work with a decent pay in order for me to survive.

for Canada post - their reasons were lame apparently cause when I have asked them for some information regarding the documents I have sent all they could reply was that once it was out of the country it's not in their capacity to be held responsible for it.

They have clearly noted that it would be 5-10 working days but my documents reached like 2 months and they don't have any answer as to what happened to it, so it's a bit frustrating too, so I have wasted 2 months for it. Anyway I have chosen the purolator services and have dealt with it already.

I understand about all the assessments each places need, but with the lack of resources already and lost of time for studying french I was considering the option of looking for another place to start where I could get a job in the health service department. You see it is a bit frustrating for newly settled immigrants who learn french from school being taught french2x but is not quite the same with the french here in quebec so i hope you understand my point.

I hope you would also understand that coming from a third world country and leaving our families to seek for a better life that we are hoping for the best for us. I love here it in Quebec but considering the fact of speaking fluently in french despite the qualifications and skills I have it just makes me frustrated.

That is why I posted this just to seek some information or I could have a plan C just in case things would get really bad for me here. I wanted to know which place in Canada would have better job employment availabilities and opportunities for internationally trained nurses. Even considering the job of being an aide.

I thank you for your response. I have greatly considered in mind Camrose Alberta, but I still needed more information and research about this place.

loriangel14, RN · Aug 18, 2014

Did you not do any research into these places that you want to move to? If you had you would have discovered that 2 are not provinces. How did you pick them without knowing anything about them?

It is true that Canada Post has no control over what happens to mail once it leaves the country. The delay was not their fault.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Aug 18, 2014

I completely understand wanting a better life and I said as much. Who among us doesn't want better pay, better surroundings and better opportunities? The point I'm trying to make is that when someone makes such a gigantic change, it's only in their best interest to research things in detail and make plans for executing them before they make their move so that there are as few pitfalls as possible in their way. It appears you have not done that. When I decided to move my family to another city in another province for work, I spent the time it required to find out everything I could about the place I had chosen, got all of my paperwork in order, paid the fees, waited for things to be worked through, had my license and a written offer of employment in my hand, had a pre-approved mortgage, and THEN I packed my family and belongings up to move. I built my wings while I was still at the top of the cliff and then leaped. Even having done all of that there were still a lot of obstacles in my way before we were able to settle down and actually have a better life. Nobody did any of it for me.

There are no positions open in Camrose. Not even as an aide. There are 7 regular full time positions posted in the whole region. The 2 in Red Deer are for emergency and child/adolescent mental health, the requirements for each being quite specific. There's one position in Hanna, 2 positions for psychiatric nurses at Alberta Hospital in Ponoka, one position in emergency in Wetaskiwin and one position in Viking. All require recent experience in that area of nursing and current registration with CARNA. That's the state of nursing employment in most of the province of Alberta.

You might want to read this: International Applicant | Careers and Jobs | Alberta Health Services

Fiona59 · Aug 18, 2014

I think you need to stay in Quebec and repay the people who have been kind enough to expedite your move to Canada and then support you enough to pay your bills while learning a language other than your own.

It's been well documented on this forum the number of nurses from your country of origin who want to come to Canada via the Quebec Immigration programme and then move to other provinces because of the language issues and wages.

You took the opportunity and so should repay the government with your service. Other migrants who may actually want to live and work and build a future in Quebec would love to have had your spot.

sweetsugarrush · Aug 19, 2014

thanks for the info..actually for the "researching part" i made my homework about it...read a lot of blogs and info on the internet...yet it's rather different in the real world rather than just books and research nothing could prepare "us/me" quite more for what could come...

but anyway i'll try my luck and gather info. from some of my friends too...i have read some blogs and info. here in the site about other people who has the same situation as mine..

i am still positive about this..thanks for the link...

loriangel14, RN · Aug 19, 2014

How much did you research a location to work in if you didn't identify it as a city rather than a province?

RNMA15 · Sep 17, 2014

Hi Sweetsugarrush,

As an immigrant foreign trained nurse, I understand your predicament. Its understandably hard for Canadians or Americans to understand our struggles, or even the fact that there are so many barriers to obtaining information from our home-countries. I am yet to come across a self- starter immigrant who said they were perfectly prepared before they came- there will always be surprises, shocks, and yes, mistakes, no matter how much you prepare yourself… I initially tried to immigrate to the USA and passed the CGFNS, Nclex and English language proficiency tests, but was also delayed because FEDEX lost my paperwork from one of the other countries I had worked in, as you have to verify each license you have ever possessed when you move to a new country. So by the time I re-did my paperwork, the Visa opportunity had closed its doors, and I got stuck there, while my husband studied. Its human to be frustrated when your efforts don't work out, and I understand your desire to want to look elsewhere. Thats how I came to Canada, at a time when there was an acute nursing shortage in the area I went to. However, as others have said, its really a bad time now for nursing jobs. I would advise you to try and get anything you can lay your hands, don't limit yourself to healthcare, you have to be willing to do anything, work in a store, private care, clean houses, baby sit whatever you can to make ends meet and continue with your education. I think Quebec is your best bet since you are already a step ahead. Be as patient as you need to. Many of us immigrant nurses have been through all that, and in the end it worked out. Take heart, and best wishes!

joanna73, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2014

Canadians do understand your struggles and we have a long history of welcoming immigrants. However, for most of the last decade Canadians have been struggling with under employment and lay offs.

Unfortunately, despite the mixed messages in the media there is no nursing shortage or shortage of health care workers. Last week in Edmonton, 160 people were laid off at a senior's facility for example. Sorry you're having challenges but we need to start taking better care of the workers we already have.

The same scenario is occurring across the country. That's one reason why it takes the licensing bodies forever to make a decision. If nurses were in demand, the Colleges would ensure a speedier process.

RNMA15 · Sep 18, 2014

Joanna73,

I agree with everything about the state of nursing employment in Canada at this time, as you might tell from my heartfelt and factual advise for Sweetsugarrush! And I am aware of Canadian history of welcoming foreigners. I am grateful for the opportunity Canada has given me, and I work hard, pay my taxes and raise this country's flag. 5 years ago when I came in, I was just a Diploma RN, and now I have a BScN and I am a Graduate student! I have never needed to use any free grants or social services, thankfully. But what made this possible for me is a matter of national policy,it does not mean that all individual citizens necessarily understand all that an immigrant experiences, nor that they even like the idea of foreigners living in their country! You just have to be one to fully appreciate what it involves, and why pipo take such risks to come to foreign countries, even if you may be genuinely sympathetic. Many of the comments in this thread clearly show the lack of understanding- and I do not blame them. My own country is very open to foreigners from worse off countries too, and I have lived, played, worked and gone to school with foreigners in my country throughout my life, but it wasn't until I found myself in the situation that I really understood. However, I made the comment to comfort and advise someone I can relate to, I am not asking for any sympathy, and I am not struggling anymore than any other Canadian, I am just as Canadian, too!

sweetsugarrush · Sep 23, 2014

Nabs88

thanks for hearing me out sweetie..at least there is still someone out there human enough to feel the situation i am struggling in right now..yes i am trying to get my hands on any work right now..working in a factory..washing dishes...just to make ends meet..thank you so much for your kind encouragement..