Licensing: Nursing – Canada

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Canadian Registered Nurses

You are eligible to work as an RN anywhere in Canada.

However, you must be licensed in the province in which you would like to work. Individual provinces are responsible for issuing their own license to practice and general information is provided below for your convenience. Applicants are encouraged to contact the licensing body in the province in which they wish to work to confirm the specific requirements for that province.

The basic process to licensure is: completing a RN program (most provinces require a baccalaureate in nursing to enter the profession), applying to the licensing body in the province in which one wants to work to obtain and complete an application package, and applying for an appointment to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE, formerly known as the CNAT). The CNA offers the exam three times per year (February, June, and October), and exams are held at sites in each province/territory on the same day. Once you've passed the exam and pay your registration fee, you will be registered by the province to which you applied.

If you hold a license to practice in one Canadian province, licensure by endorsement is often possible.

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Registered Nurses from the US or Mexico

You'll need to contact the nurse licensing body in the province in which you wish to be licensed (contact details below) and request an out-of-country application package.

Once you've gathered all the necessary paperwork and completed your application, return it to the provincial organization. Upon receipt of your application, they'll create a file for you.

Depending on your circumstances, you may be asked to submit academic transcripts and various other records. This information usually should be sent directly from the various sources to the provincial association to be added to your file.

Once your file is complete, the provincial licensing body will assess whether or not you qualify to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE, formerly known as the CNAT), and notify you of their decision. If you qualify to write the CRNE, you'll then need to make an appointment with the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) to write the CRNE. The CNA offers the exam three times per year (February, June, and October), and exams are held at sites in each province/territory on the same day.

Please note: All Canadian provinces and territories, with the exception of Quebec, require that you write the CRNE as part of the registration or licensure process. Quebec has its own exam.

Once you've written the CRNE and the provincial licensing body receives your passing score, you'll receive your provincial license (the actual license may be withheld until you have landed in Canada with the right to work, such as through a NAFTA visa). Temporary licenses are available for qualified applicants in some provinces, and these licenses may be used while the applicant waits to write the CRNE; contact the regulatory body in the province you'd like to work for details.

In addition, depending on the licensing body, those who do not speak English as a first language and/or who did not receive their RN training in English, must write the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or in some provinces IELTS (International English Language Testing System) examination to become licensed in any Canadian province (except Quebec where French is required, and New Brunswick where French may be chosen rather than English). You may also be required to write the TSE (Test of Spoken English). Many provinces require this examination in addition to the TOEFL. Provinces vary in the scores required. For further information, contact the TOEFL organization or IELTS organization.

Visa information: Your profession is covered under NAFTA. If you are a citizen of the USA or Mexico, you are eligible for a visa. Permanent Residents of the USA or Mexico are not eligible under NAFTA.

You can obtain an Employment Authorization (NAFTA Professional Status) from any Canadian port of entry, US-Canadian border crossing, or Canadian Consulate (or in Canada, if you are already in the country as a visitor). No sponsorship is required. Job Offer Validation is not required. However, you will still need to provide proof of an offer of employment from your employer in Canada. You must also meet the minimum education, experience, and licensing requirements set for your profession.

Your documentation* you present must indicate:

*This documentation can include: a signed contract between you and an employer; a letter from your prospective employer confirming that employment has been offered and accepted; a letter from your current employer stating that you are entering another NAFTA member country to render services pursuant to a signed contract between your employer and an enterprise in that country.

The duration of the Employment Authorization is set for an initial period of one year. An unlimited number of one-year extensions may be subsequently obtained so long as you can show that the employment remains temporary, and that you continue to be qualified to work in your profession.

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Registered Nurses from Outside North America

You must contact the nurse licensing body in the province in which you wish to be licensed (contact details below) and request an out-of-country application package.

Once you've gathered all the necessary paperwork and completed your application, return it to the provincial organization. Upon receipt of your application, they'll create a file for you.

Depending on your circumstances, you may be asked to submit academic transcripts and various other records. This information usually should be sent directly from the various sources to the provincial association to be added to your file.

Once your file is complete, the licensing body will assess whether or not you qualify to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE, formerly known as the CNAT), and notify you of their decision. If you qualify to write the CRNE, you'll then need to make an appointment with the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) to write the CRNE. The CNA offers the exam three times per year (February, June, and October), and exams are held at sites in each province/territory on the same day.

Please note: All Canadian provinces and territories, with the exception of Quebec, require that you write the CRNE as part of the registration or licensure process. Quebec has its own exam.

Once you've written the CRNE and the provincial licensing body receives your passing score, you'll be eligible to receive your provincial license.

In addition, depending on the licensing body, those who do not speak English as a first language and/or who did not receive their RN training in English, must write the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or in some provinces IELTS (International English Language Testing System) examination to become licensed in any Canadian province (except Quebec where French is required, and New Brunswick where French may be chosen rather than English). You may also be required to write the TSE (Test of Spoken English). Many provinces require this examination in addition to the TOEFL. Provinces vary in the scores required. For further information, contact the TOEFL organization or IELTS organization.

Visa information: You are required to have a Canadian Employment Authorization before being allowed entry and employment in Canada. Sponsorship is often required. The process is often lengthy, but for some jobs and locations, it may be somewhat easier.

Example 1: When hiring international applicants who are not covered by NAFTA, typically an employer must first apply to Human Resources and Social Development Canada/Service Canada (HRSDC/SC) for a "Labour Market Opinion" (LMO) to assess how hiring the foreign worker would affect Canadian jobs. This could normally take weeks to months to obtain. However, HRSDC/SC launched an Expedited Labour Market Opinion Pilot Project to accelerate the application process to hire temporary foreign workers in certain occupations in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. RNs are included among those "certain occupations." Under this pilot project, an employer can have the LMO in up to five days after the government has received the required documentation/information. Once the LMO is in hand, and a person has a written employment offer and proof s/he meets the job requirements, the person can apply for his/her work visa.

Example 2: HRSDC/SC also maintain regional lists of occupations under pressure. What this means is that if an occupation is on the list for the region, employers in the region will not be required to undertake lengthy or comprehensive advertising efforts before being eligible to apply to hire a qualified foreign worker, which saves them time. However, the employer will still have to apply for a Labour Market Opinion (also known as an employment confirmation) from SC, which can take weeks. So in a case in which a few provinces have a certain career listed as an "occupation under pressure," but the others do not, a person would more likely find success in finding a job if s/he were to apply for licensure in one of the provinces in which their career is an "occupation under pressure." As of when this was last updated (see date below the box), RNs are included on the lists for British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Québec.

Please contact the nearest Canadian Embassy or Consulate to inquire about obtaining an Employment Authorization.

You can also find more information on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.

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