USA RN to relocate to Canada

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Hi there! I'm wondering if any nurses who have immigrated from the US to Canada can share any of their experiences with the immigration process and getting your license transferred over. I've already submitted my paperwork to the NNAS and it is currently undergoing "final review."

Have any USA RNs who have gotten the 'comparable,' from the NNAS have still been forced to take the competency assessment from the NCAS?

And if you were successful in immigrating to Canada, what was applying for a hospital job like? Or any RN job like? Currently I work for a major hospital (3 yrs experience) in med surg here in Oregon.

Any experience / advice / thoughts are welcomed!

Specializes in Surgical RN.
27 minutes ago, a_lee said:

Thanks so much @gardengrower92. I'm a bit confused now, is the NCAS the equivalent of the NCLEX here? I thought that BC (as well as Oregon) used the NCLEX for licensing. Trying to figure out how to take the least number of exams possible and still move there when I'm done with school.

If the regulatory body you applied to were to find, after reviewing the NNAS report and other supporting documents submitted to them, that you did not meet their standards, they would require you to take another test, the NCAS. You would still need to take this test even if you took the NCLEX but the NNAS found you to be not comparable, or your regulatory body for some reason had an issue with your course content / application. 

For example in terms of British Columbia, it lists on their website:


"Most internationally-educated nurses are directed to the Nursing Competency Assessment Service (NCAS) which measures an applicant's entry-level competencies as compared to a new Canadian graduate. All applicants must demonstrate entry-level competencies, including those who have engaged in specialized practice."

I am hoping since my NNAS came back as comparable I would not have to do this, however this is not a guarantee (you do not immediately get a Canadian RN license once you've finished the NNAS, you still need to then apply to the regulatory board of your choosing and see what they say). So I'm keeping my fingers crossed for now. 

If you're really worried about meeting Canada's competencies but have not yet started nursing school, have you considered just applying to nursing school in Canada? That would make your life a whole lot easier (and something I wish I'd done back in the day!)

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Specializes in primary care.

Thanks so much, @gardengrower92 ! I am starting a 15 month accelerated program tomorrow, so I think it's too late to go to school in Canada. I looked into applying there but I was accepted locally mid March, and my partner wasn't ready to commit to the move until... well, you know how the last 6 months have been ?

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Specializes in New Grad RN.

Hello, I just graduated this year in California and am interested in relocating to Canada (any province, preferably English-speaking).  Is it possible for a new grad RN from the States to get accepted into a new grad residency program there in Canada?  Any advice/feedback would be greatly appreciated.

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On 10/16/2020 at 10:11 AM, Christina Nguyen said:

Hello, I just graduated this year in California and am interested in relocating to Canada (any province, preferably English-speaking).  Is it possible for a new grad RN from the States to get accepted into a new grad residency program there in Canada?  Any advice/feedback would be greatly appreciated.

By the time you even transfer your license to Canada about a year will pass. If you don't work during that time you won't be very competitive for jobs here since they highly value students who graduated in Canada over even US new grad nurses (unless they have experience). It depends on the province but unlike the US, there are no formal "new grad" programs in Canada. In BC the most you get are 12 shifts (which is less than a month) and you don't get more than a few months worth of training anywhere else unless you get into a specialty position (which is not easy for new grads to get into). I highly suggest getting work experience there before coming up to Canada because you need to be highly adaptable and independent. When I came up to Canada from the US the maximum on-the-floor orientation I got at a hospital was 6 shifts because I couldn't qualify for their new grad position. I struggled a lot initially and it took me about a year to adjust due to the differences in the healthcare system and roles of nursing.

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Specializes in Surgical RN.

Yeah, I agree with dayandnight. The NNAS process alone (after you've gathered and submitted all your documents to them) will take about three months, and then you still have to apply to the province(s) of your choice and wait to hear back from them on the next steps. 

Also if you want to work in Canada as an RN, you'll have to go and get a work visa or apply for residency, both of which also take forever. So better to start a job now while you're figuring everything out. 

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They don't have nursing residencies in Canada. Some places have new grad programs but uou have to be fresh out of school. 

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One thing I see a lot of you haven’t mentioned is getting a work visa. You just can’t come to Canada to work. And depending on where you want to work, you may get denied. Especially if there isn’t a shortage of nurses (like in Alberta for example. There are more nurses- LPNs and RNs, then positions). 
 

Just throwing that out there. 

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Specializes in Medical Surgical, Telemetry, Acute Pulmonary Care.
1 hour ago, amandab13 said:

One thing I see a lot of you haven’t mentioned is getting a work visa. You just can’t come to Canada to work. And depending on where you want to work, you may get denied. Especially if there isn’t a shortage of nurses (like in Alberta for example. There are more nurses- LPNs and RNs, then positions). 
 

Just throwing that out there. 

Hi amandab13,

Hope all is well. You brought up a great point! Would you happen to know what the process is for getting a work visa? If so, could you explain? 

Thanks

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Specializes in Surgical RN.
35 minutes ago, BlessedHighlyFavored RN said:

Hi amandab13,

Hope all is well. You brought up a great point! Would you happen to know what the process is for getting a work visa? If so, could you explain? 

Thanks

Pretty much all work visas seem to involve getting an employer to sponsor you. With Canada not really having a shortage of nurses, they don’t have an incentive to bring someone over / sponsor them. I have yet to find an employer willing to sponsor a work visa for an RN, even in a highly specialized area. 
 

My suggestion would be to go for permanent residency, which would then allow you to work there once you’ve moved to Canada and gotten your permanent residency card.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical, Telemetry, Acute Pulmonary Care.
11 minutes ago, gardengrower92 said:

Pretty much all work visas seem to involve getting an employer to sponsor you. With Canada not really having a shortage of nurses, they don’t have an incentive to bring someone over / sponsor them. I have yet to find an employer willing to sponsor a work visa for an RN, even in a highly specialized area. 
 

My suggestion would be to go for permanent residency, which would then allow you to work there once you’ve moved to Canada and gotten your permanent residency card.

Hi gardengrower92,

Thank you for your helpful feedback. I thought as much that the sponsorship process would be the appropriate way to have access to work in Canada once receiving feedback from a specific nursing regulatory body about the nursing license. 
 

Thanks again 

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19 minutes ago, gardengrower92 said:

Pretty much all work visas seem to involve getting an employer to sponsor you. With Canada not really having a shortage of nurses, they don’t have an incentive to bring someone over / sponsor them. I have yet to find an employer willing to sponsor a work visa for an RN, even in a highly specialized area. 
 

My suggestion would be to go for permanent residency, which would then allow you to work there once you’ve moved to Canada and gotten your permanent residency card.

What she said. 
move heard it’s a very lengthy process. To be honest, I’m not 100% sure how it all works, but I would start sooner than later. It may take years. 

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Specializes in Medical Surgical, Telemetry, Acute Pulmonary Care.
10 minutes ago, amandab13 said:

What she said. 
move heard it’s a very lengthy process. To be honest, I’m not 100% sure how it all works, but I would start sooner than later. It may take years. 

Thanks amandab13

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