US Nurse bound for Calgary... maybe...

fergus51 · Jul 29, 2005

Canada has tons of foreign trained nurses, so I don't see that being a problem at all. You would have to write the Canadian RN exam of course. Because you are American, you can get a renewable NAFTA visa (work permit) very easily. I don't know what the job prospects are like for NPs in Calgary though.

markjrn · Jul 30, 2005

I've read that in some professions, Canada is resistant to foreign-trained professionals

Wow, that really surprises me since Canada is full of foreigners. I can't imagine any resistance here.

Annabelle57 · Aug 1, 2005

Wow, that really surprises me since Canada is full of foreigners. I can't imagine any resistance here.

Yeah... I think I read that the government was somehow opposed to foreign-trained professionals, not just foreigners in general. It could have been bunk, anyway - people write all sorts of stuff on the internet. Anyway, it's good to know that it certainly is not a problem for nurses. I loved Canada when we visited and cried when I had to go home :rolleyes:

Thanks!

fergus51 · Aug 1, 2005

Anabelle, I think they may have been talking about doctors. It is very difficult for foreign trained doctors to become licensed in Canada because they are required to do a residency and there are few spots for them, plus they have to pass the exam which is difficult if the doctor has been in a certain specialty for a while. Nurses don't have as hard a time since the US education is so similar to Canadian. As long as you have the required hours in different specialties (peds, medical, surgical, OB and psych) you will be elligible to write the exam and become licensed. Then you can start your job search and once you have a job offer you can get your work permit at the border.

Some provinces also require a BSN, but I don't believe Alberta is one of them and this obviously wouldn't impact you anyways:)

spots · Aug 3, 2005

Annabelle, I am a US nurse with a BSN and tons of experience in NICU. I am moving to Calgary this fall. I started the process a year ago and it's rather tough and expensive. First you have to make application to the AARN where they review your college transcripts and decide if you are qualified to take the CRNE. Then you have to take the CRNE. They will issue you a 6 month temp permit interim. Also, you have to have a work permit which requires a job offer and a physical. They seem reluctant to hire if you aren't registered with the AARN. I have tried to get more info but alas, no luck.

I have to agree, Calgary is awesome. :)

Annabelle57 · Aug 3, 2005

Annabelle, I am a US nurse with a BSN and tons of experience in NICU. I am moving to Calgary this fall. I started the process a year ago and it's rather tough and expensive. First you have to make application to the AARN where they review your college transcripts and decide if you are qualified to take the CRNE. Then you have to take the CRNE. They will issue you a 6 month temp permit interim. Also, you have to have a work permit which requires a job offer and a physical. They seem reluctant to hire if you aren't registered with the AARN. I have tried to get more info but alas, no luck.

I have to agree, Calgary is awesome. :)

Thanks for all the great info - I went to both the AARN website and the CRNE website to get more information.

I'm actually just about to enter nursing school (I've been taking prerequisites for the past two years) and I'm wondering if the whole process might be easier if I went to a school up there. But I don't think the process will be impossible if I have to stay here. I do wonder about how much work experience I have to have under my belt before I can be licensed there, though. Will they license graduate nurses from the US?