US RN considering to move and work as RN in Ontario, Canada.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Rehabilitation,.

I am a canadian (by immigrating) but I have been working as a RN in USA for over a year now. I have lived in canada 4 years ago and moved to US last 2015 since I have always had my US license. I graduated nursing in Philippines and passed NCLEX before I moved to Canada. I love canada and I am considering going back in a year or two.

I am wondering if it's easier to get the RN license in Canada considering I am holding a US license with experience as compared to an internationally educated nurse without North American experience who is planning to move to Canada?

A friend told me she read that an US NCLEX passer does not have to take the CRNE (and I am assuming Canada has been using NCLEX for their nursing students now?) Pls correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks for upcoming answer. Pls do enlighten me.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

If you did your nursing in the Phil then you are still an internationally educated nurse. That will never change. Having a US license is no guarantee that you will be granted a Canadian license. You would need to start off by applying to the NNAS and they will assess your education. If your education is found comparable you can apply to the college of nurses in Ontario. Be aware that the job market in Ontario is very bleak.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the Nurse Registration forum

As mentioned it all goes on where you trained not where you have worked. All starts as previously mentioned with NNAS and reading requirements with CNO

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Be prepared that when you get assessed by NNAS it is likely that the result will be "non-comparable". As such, you will be treated the exact same as nurses educated in India, China, Ivory Coast, Guatemala, Ireland, anywhere really, as "non-comparable" is "non-comparable" and work experience in North America does not matter to NNAS.

Because you have nursing work experience, you will likely be asked to take the IENCAP exam to show your skills to determine whether they are equivalent to a Canadian-educated nurse who has just graduated and passed NCLEX. The one positive is that you will not have to write NCLEX again, hopefully, although, I'm not sure it is accepted if written in a country other than Canada or the US. Best to check with CNO on that.

Once you do the IENCAP you will await response from CNO as to whether you passed (score of 3.5 or higher in each category is considered a pass). The wording on the CNO website suggests that if the IENCAP is passed successfully, this is evidence that the applicant has met equivalent education requirements, however, wording is tricky and it doesn't seem like that is clear enough to any of us on the forum. So please accept this as my best understanding and not gospel truth.

NNAS assessment is likely to take close to a year. Then you have to be invited for IENCAP, and getting a spot in the exam could take up to 6 months, but hopefully more like 4. Then you await response and find out if further education is required.

So in sum, no, it won't be easier for you due to having a license/practice in the US. But yes you are doing the right thing by looking into and starting this process a few years before you plan to move (if you decide to move).

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Are you a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident? If a permanent resident, you need to remember there is a limit to how much time you can spend outside of Canada without your status being revoked. You mentioned you've been working in the US for over a year and are thinking of returning in the next year or two. You may exceed the time out of country.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Rehabilitation,.

I am a Canadian citizen, but am an international educ nurse (Philippines).

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When you initially immigrated four years ago did you apply to CNO?

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hello, im curious to know.. where did you worked in US as a RN and why do you want to go back to canada?

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hello, im curious to know.. where did you worked in US as a RN and why do you want to go back to canada?

I know this question was intended for @jay_j but just to give my perspective, I am also a Canadian citizen working in the US. Just a few reasons for wanting licensure in Canada:

1) Trump

2) Confined to living in a border town which often times aren't exactly the greatest places to live. Need to live in border town in order to be close enough to the border to commute every day. Living outside of Canada for more than 3 months would result in the loss of our universal healthcare and losing healthcare is not worth it. Hard to move on with life and relationships and career if stuck in a border town.

3) Want to be free to live and work in own country that I love, as a matter of principle.

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I know this question was intended for @jay_j but just to give my perspective, I am also a Canadian citizen working in the US. Just a few reasons for wanting licensure in Canada:

1) Trump

2) Confined to living in a border town which often times aren't exactly the greatest places to live. Need to live in border town in order to be close enough to the border to commute every day. Living outside of Canada for more than 3 months would result in the loss of our universal healthcare and losing healthcare is not worth it. Hard to move on with life and relationships and career if stuck in a border town.

3) Want to be free to live and work in own country that I love, as a matter of principle.

Hello, which border are u working now? I think it depends with everyone, I have friends who love to florida, California and they like.it better pay and weather..

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Hello, which border are u working now? I think it depends with everyone, I have friends who love to florida, California and they like.it better pay and weather..

I cross the border in Windsor and work in a hospital in Michigan.

I guess everybody makes their decisions, but for me, losing the guarantee of universal healthcare is not worth it. Plus, I love my country and want to be here.

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I cross the border in Windsor and work in a hospital in Michigan.

I guess everybody makes their decisions, but for me, losing the guarantee of universal healthcare is not worth it. Plus, I love my country and want to be here.

Yes true.. for me, I hate the winter and I don't see myself living in a very cold country all my life.. yes health care is free in Canada but u pay lot of taxes for it..

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