Québécois American wishing to maybe go back to Québec

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Aug 10, 2009

Hello Kyle_. Welcome to allnurses.com. Unfortunately we don't seem to have too many members from Quebec, although there have been several questions about Quebec. The fastest and most accurate way of learning what Quebec likes is to contact l'Ordre des Infirmiers et Infermieres du Quebec (http://www.oiiq.org) and read what their site says, and then maybe talk to someone. Have you maintained your French well enough to function in that language? That's an immutable requirement. If you wouldn't mind coming back and posting what you find out, we'd all be grateful.

Kyle_ · Aug 10, 2009

Hah unfortunetely my French has gotten really bad. When my family visits, I can't even understand them! (Funny too because my family is big secessionists too)

But thanks for the link to that site; I will check it out :-)

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Aug 10, 2009

Then I'd suggest that you take some French classes as electives while you're in nursing school! The requirement for French language proficiency is truly non-negotiable. Give yourself the best shot possible from the beginning if you even think you might want to work there, or even in eastern Ontario. But I'm not sure you know that Quebec pays one of the lowest rates in the country...

jerome1974 · Aug 26, 2009

Hello Kyle!!!

I m actually a RN in Montreal, I m originally from France (Paris) and I graduated there in 1999, I live in Montreal since 2005 where I work. I had to pass the exam from OIIQ. May be I can help you if you need.

It s funny because as far as I m concerned I ve planned to move to New York city and I m trying ( lol) to start the procedure......OMG, it looks so complicated but I m motivated...pfew .

So just let me know if we can help each other and share our mutual experience

Ciao.

just4 · Nov 2, 2009

The whole process sucks, I mean REALLY sucks. Unlike you, I am not fortunate to be a citizen of either country (yet). I got my American BSN and RN license at the start of 2009. I emigrated to Quebec in March. It took more that 6 months and a jillion documents (more that the governments of Canada or Quebec ever needed) for the OIIQ to reach a decision on my qualifications. They are basically a bloated bureaucracy. They'll want things like birth certificates and high school transcripts even though they have absolutely NOTHING to do with nursing and even though such documents were already submitted to Quebec and Canada for immigration purposes.

After 6 months, hopefully, you will be told that your studies qualify BUT you will need to go through "stage" either by completing 6 months of studies at a college (there is only one English college and it is well outside of Montreal) OR find an employer that will "stage" you for a couple of hundred hours of work time. Fortunately there are several English speaking hospitals that will take you for the "stage". After you complete that you will still have another month of supervised training where a regular nurse will have to sign off on everything. Meantime you will be able to get your CPN license which will allow you to work at a much lower pay that you are getting in the states. You have to do that for up to 6 months until the OIIQ calls you in for your exam. The first day of written stuff is easy compared to the second day of hands on. Neither the actors hired to portray the sick patients nor the examiners are too good in English so that is where many fail. If you fail you have 2 more chances but the tests are only given every 6 months, so you have to continue at your low CPN pay. Generally, even when you do get your full license your pay will still be lower than that of an American nurse, both as pure numbers AND loss due to the exchange rate. Then there are the income taxes which will kill you. If you hate the deductions in the USA, you will loathe the ones here.

You are being misinformed about the knowledge of French. You have 3 years from the time you pass your exam to know French. Until then your license will not be considered to be complete. However, Quebec is so desperate for nurses that it seems they are not even enforcing the 3 year rule. In any case, once you pass your exam, you can transfer your license to any other Canadian province and they don't give a hoot about French.:loveya: Several other provinces also pay better...

chatalle · Jul 12, 2010

Hello,

I have a BSN from US university and just started the immigration process to Quebec. I am not a US citizen and my work permit (as an extension of my student visa) expires on 10/04. I will have worked about 9.5 months by then. I was a night charge on rehab floor at a nursing home. Because I have less than 12 months of experience, I don't qualify for any other province, but Quebec according to my attorney so no matter how difficult it seems, I have to do it through Quebec.

I tried to look at their nursing board web site, and of course, it was all in French. It's been 10 years since I spoke a word of French, but it's good to know that at least the QIIQ is available in English.

Is there a website or a name of a book or something (like the Kaplan NCLEX prep program) to prep for QIIQ? I would like to practice in Montreal, but if the job market is better anywhere else in Quebec, I will go to wherever there is a job. How do you like working in Quebec? Where can I find out more about nursing and nursing jobs specifically in Quebec? What I'm getting from your post is that even at a lower pay, it is possible to work in Quebec before I pass the board and get a "full" license.... is it still true?

I am already lost and totally stressed out. I bought the Rosetta stone the other day, so hopefully, it'll be as good as they say it is.

Thank you!

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jul 13, 2010

Hello,
I have a BSN from US university and just started the immigration process to Quebec. I am not a US citizen and my work permit (as an extension of my student visa) expires on 10/04. I will have worked about 9.5 months by then. I was a night charge on rehab floor at a nursing home. Because I have less than 12 months of experience, I don't qualify for any other province, but Quebec according to my attorney so no matter how difficult it seems, I have to do it through Quebec.

That's such a load of hogwash! The Colleges of Nursing dont' really care how much experience you have or don't have. They care about what kind of education you have and whether you're competent to practice at the entry level as a registered nurse. There's no reason to limit yourself to Quebec unless you really want to live there. Take a look at this: Links to the Provincial Colleges of Nursing and check out the registration sections on each and you'll see that BC is the only province that requires supervised practice for internationally-educated nurses' registration, but none of them ask about experience.

I tried to look at their nursing board web site, and of course, it was all in French. It's been 10 years since I spoke a word of French, but it's good to know that at least the QIIQ is available in English.

Yep... l'Office de la Langue Francaise is alive and well.

chatalle · Jul 13, 2010

I've spoken to several attorneys from various provinces and they all said I don't "qualify for the Federal skilled worker program" except for this one guy from Quebec who said that because of the severe shortage, Quebec is accepting immigration candidates with 6+ months of experience, instead of 12 months. I'm in Seattle now, so I'd love to just drive up to BC, but I couldn't find an attorney who wanted to work on my case. I looked at some CON (maybe it was BC) and they said 12 months of experience was required before I would qualify to sit for CRNE. Maybe I should check out some other provinces. Do you know of anywhere else that has a shortage & is hiring?

I'll keep looking, but It's just so confusing at this point. Thank you for the reply!

Cherish · Jul 13, 2010

Hello all,
I am currently a dual citizen with the United States and Québec, but I have lived here in the USA for the vast majority of my life. I am contemplating getting an RN or BSN in Nursing, and work here in the USA for a while. But, I might one day wish to move back to Québec.(Laval, to be exact.) However, since I am getting a degree here in the USA by American standards, will I be able to pursue a nursing career in Québec, or would I have to start my education at a Canadian college? I hear that lots of Americans go to college for nursing in Canada and come back here to get a job and all. But, I rarely hear of Americans getting an education in nursing here(USA) and then moving to Canada and working/living there. So, any information would be helpful. :)
EDIT: I just read the red banner LOL at the top that says posts like these should be in the international forum and not here in the Canadian, so mods, please move to the correct area. I apologize!

Wow Quebec is it's own country now? Didn't know you can get citizenship from Quebec...wow. Who would of thought?

chatalle · Jul 13, 2010

I don't know about "citizenship" but by all other accounts, it sure feels like a separate country from the rest of Canada...

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jul 13, 2010

chatalle, what is your citizenship? It's true that you won't meet the major requirement for the federal skilled worker program (I heard a rumour that RN was going to be delisted, but it's still there) but there is the arranged employment route. Unfortunately that will be almost more difficult because most provinces aren't actively looking for IENs to fill vacancies right now. BC is in a huge slump and Alberta has just committed to hiring 70% of the province's new grads for the next 3 years, so they're not in the market either. Quebec is the unfriendliest place I can think of and I hate the thought that it could ever be someone's only option for coming to Canada. You have my sympathy!

As for BC requiring 12 months of experience before being eligible to write the CRNE, what do their new grads do, since it's the exam they take to obtain initial registration?