US nurse moving to Toronto

[sb_19]

Hey all!

I'm currently a Registered Nurse in the states and by the time I move to Toronto, I will have 1 year of cardiac/step down experience. I understand the immigration process and how to get my nursing license transferred over..however, I have a few questions.

1. How long does it usually take to find a job in a hospital?

2. How much is the hourly pay/ yearly salary for nurses in a hospital?

3. What are the chances of being hired for a job outside of my experience? Do I need to take a course to specialize in an area?

Any information/advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks! :)

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Full time jobs are hard as hospitals tend to be unionized and most start casual, get foot through the door then work their way up to full time. I areas where nurses are in short supply it may be faster to get full time but usually in out of the way communities hence the ease of finding a job.

Pay will depend on experience etc and usually pay scale can be found in the collective agreement for that hospital

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

You are aware that Toronto is the most popular destination in Canada for emigrants, aren't you? That means that there are probably 15 internationally-educated nurses for every nursing job in the city, not including home-grown and other Canadian nurses. So finding a hospital job with just a year of any kind of nursing experience will be a very long road. The greater Toronto area is pretty saturated with well-qualified nurses. Having certification in a specialty area will make you a little more competitive but there are no guarantees.

At best you'd be placed on the second rung of the 9-rung pay ladder, which starts at about $32 an hour and maxes out at about $45. (The Canadian dollar is currently worth approximately 75 cents USD.) Toronto and Vancouver have extremely high costs of living. Rents in the GTA are high; a one bed-one bath apartment will start around $1500 a month plus utilities. Keep that in mind. You'll need to be prepared to take the first job offered and to work as many hours as you can just to pay your bills for the first while. Does it have to be Toronto?

[jennylee321]

Go to the ONA website that will have the pay scale for most ontario hospitals as it is the union.

Get another year if experience in your current job ideally, will make you a better applicant.

Ideally don't bring a car to Toronto. It will make your life much more affirdable there as parking, gas and insurance will eat up a big park of your paycheque. Are you coming with a partner ? That will make rent more affordable as well.