is it true about canada?? light in this gloom??

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I have heard that Canada will be recruiting a lot of nurses in the coming years. Is this true?

My story- I'm an irish student nurse and I will soon receive my bachelor of science in general nursing. I obviously have fluent English and we do a 9 month clinical internship on the wards prior to graduating (we also do placements before throughout our academic years, prior to starting internship). The situation for newly qualified nurses is not good in Ireland at the moment. Since 2oo9 (I think) theres been an embargo so basically nurses were not being employed but our government have set up a ''graduate initiative'' which does employ but at a 20% cut to our wage. We will earn less the the health care assistants, porters and cleaners. I'll be qualified before I'm 23, so I'm young, educated and a motivated person and I strive to excel in my career, which won't be easy to do in the Irish system at the moment. I'm thinking of emigrating. Canada seems to be offering light in this gloom :)

Could you tell me what it would be like to work in Canada, particularly Toronto (because its where my boyfriend thinks he might be able to get work)? The differences in nursing? The pay? Prospects of career development? I would love to be a pediatric nurse? Is the entrance exam hard? Would I find it very difficult to get a job in a hospital? Would there be much discrimination or would it be welcoming? What do I need to do/ sort out to work in Toronto? Any other additional info/stories about emigrating to Canada??

I would truly value any advise!!!!

Thank you!!!

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

I'd say no as Canada does not include nurses on the in-demand occupations on the federal skilled workers list. there are many Canadian trained nurses seeking work.

Read this thread: https://allnurses.com/advice-on-immigration/nurses-not-canada-828269.html

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:( so does this mean I can't emigrate to Canada to nurse?? :/
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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Not for the foreseeable future. In my province the universities will be graduating about 500 nurses in a matter of weeks and most of them are jobless coming out. And Toronto is always a wasteland for new nurses looking for work, Canadian and IEN alike, no matter what else is going on in the rest of the country.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

There are several routes into Canada however the skilled route is currently closed for nurses, (you would also need minimum of 12 months work experience) and even if you move via a different route as mentioned jobs will be hard and that is after meeting provincial requirements and passing CRNE

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So I've done some research tonight and I see that the skilled route is closed, do you think this cud open again by 2016? We were told that Canada needs nurses, so now I feel really disappointed! Could you give me information about other routes? If not where can I get all the information?? I've been looking at a lot of the requirements so I reckon I will be okay there as I will have a degree and speak fluent English and I will be aged between 21-49. And the CRNE should be okay if I prepare, I'd be in the top group of my class :) I just don't want to move to Australia!!

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It really doesn't matter where you are in your class. If there are no jobs there are no jobs. Whoever told you that Canada would be bulk recruiting nurses was wrong.

Like Jan said, locally here in Alberta roughly 500 nurses will graduate this year. I can tell you that 500 nurses are not retiring or quitting their jobs.

Multiply that by 10 provinces and there really is no shortage. Well there is a shortage but it's of jobs.

Several provincial governments have committed to hiring upwards of 70% of their local grads. Where they are going to put them or how they are going to pay for them is anyone's guess.

I'm sorry you are disappointed but think how our locally educated nurses feel reading posts like yours. $20K and more in debt with student loans to repay and no jobs.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Are you generalist trained with hours in adult med/surg, geriatric, pediatric , obstetrics, and mental health? US & CAN are generalist trained. Most of UK is not.

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Specializes in Home Care.

Seems like your school told you that there were jobs in Canada to give you some hope for the future.

Its not a good time to be a nurse in Canada, America and many other countries.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
So I've done some research tonight and I see that the skilled route is closed, do you think this cud open again by 2016? We were told that Canada needs nurses, so now I feel really disappointed! Could you give me information about other routes? If not where can I get all the information?? I've been looking at a lot of the requirements so I reckon I will be okay there as I will have a degree and speak fluent English and I will be aged between 21-49. And the CRNE should be okay if I prepare, I'd be in the top group of my class :) I just don't want to move to Australia!!

Just check out the CIC website but it definitely will not be easy and you will have to take a English exam like IELTS for immigration regardless on coming from an English speaking country. Even then it will not guarantee you will find work and things for nurses are really tough with more nurses than jobs. I also can not see this changing in the next few years but all you can do is revisit this once you qualify and gain some experience

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