| Do you want to become a nurse in Canada? Did you | | | | accepted as "equivalent" you will be given permission |
| graduate and work as a registered nurse in another | | | | to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam or the |
| country? The Canadian immigration doors are open to | | | | Canadian Registered Practical Nurse Exam. Which |
| professionals particularly nurses who want to work in | | | | exam you write will depend on what type of nursing |
| Canada. | | | | license you are seeking and what you qualify for. All |
| Why would you want to become a nurse in Canada? | | | | provinces have separate nursing regulatory bodies for |
| - You can expect to earn an hourly wage between | | | | registered nursing and licensed practical nursing |
| $25 and $35 depending on your level of experience | | | | except in Ontario where all nurses are under the |
| and the province you work in. The Canadian health | | | | same regulatory association. |
| care system is publicly funded which means that all | | | | Substantially Equivalent Competency Assessment |
| hospitals are publicly administered. You will receive the | | | | The number of internationally educated nurses who |
| same salary no matter what hospital you work in | | | | want to become a nurse in Canada is increasing |
| because nurses are represented by provincial labor | | | | every year and there have been some instances |
| unions. There may be some variation in pay between | | | | where nurses were entering the system unprepared |
| provinces but there is a great deal of parity across | | | | for the real job of a registered nurse in Canada. |
| the country in registered nurse salaries because of | | | | Because of the variations in Education for nurses |
| the labor unions. | | | | around the globe reviewing educational preparation |
| - Besides the reasonable wages there are also | | | | and documentation turned out to not be a good |
| employer paid benefits that have been negotiated by | | | | predictor of success in the workplace in all cases. As |
| the labor unions including vacation time, sick time, | | | | a result a new evaluation has emerged called the |
| education leave, health insurance, and pension plans. | | | | Substantially Equivalent Competency assessment or |
| - Canadian immigration has a program for skilled | | | | SEC. This is an evaluation that uses both a written |
| workers that includes nurses. If you have one year | | | | test and an observation of your applied clinical skills |
| of experience as a registered nurse in your own | | | | using simulated nursing situations for the Canadian |
| country you can enter through this program. If you | | | | health care system. |
| do not have any experience in nursing you may have | | | | The SEC evaluations are being done mostly in the |
| to enter Canada through the regular immigration | | | | western provinces. You may be required to undergo |
| process or through the provincial nominee program. | | | | an SEC if your paperwork is not sufficient to support |
| - You will never be short of work. There are over | | | | an equivalent education or experience as would be |
| 250,000 registered nurses in Canada and yet there is | | | | required of a registered nurse in Canada. This often |
| still an ongoing nursing shortage. Presently that | | | | happens when a nurse graduated in another country |
| shortage is estimated at 78,000 registered nurses | | | | some time ago and has many years of experience |
| and is predicted to rise to over 110,000 by the year | | | | but cannot produce the complete educational |
| 2010. | | | | documentation to support the application. |
| Providing that the Canadian immigration rules, policies, | | | | When your application to write the Canadian |
| and working visa requirements are met you must | | | | Registered Nurse Exam is complete there may be a |
| follow the correct procedure to become a nurse in | | | | waiting period because the exam is only offered |
| Canada. With the exception of providing proof of | | | | every four months. However, you may be allowed to |
| language proficiency this procedure is the same for all | | | | work during that time under a temporary nursing |
| applicants even those educated in Canada. | | | | license provided all other requirements have been |
| Apply for your registration. | | | | met. You must however, have an employer willing to |
| - contact the provincial licensing body for registered | | | | hire you under a temporary permit and if you do not |
| nurses ( or licensed practical nurses ). Be prepared to | | | | pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam your |
| pay a fee for your application. | | | | temporary permit will be revoked. |
| - submit all the documentation that supports your | | | | Many internationally educated nurses are successful in |
| education, experience, and immigrant status. | | | | obtaining their nursing license in Canada and the |
| - provide proof of English language fluency. This | | | | number of internationally educated nurses working in |
| includes both reading, writing, and speaking. Many | | | | the Canadian health care system has gone up |
| provincial licensing bodies are now using the Canadian | | | | dramatically since the 1990's. Between 2000 and 2007 |
| English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses. | | | | approximately 20% of the candidates who wrote the |
| Some provinces will require this condition to be met | | | | Canadian Registered Nurse Exam were not educated |
| before they accept your application for registration. | | | | in Canada. |
| - submit proof of a clear criminal records check. You | | | | Your journey to become a nurse in Canada might be |
| can expect to pay another fee for this. The police | | | | lengthy so don't give up! Being a registered nurse in |
| run a background check through a database to make | | | | the Canada health care system means having a |
| sure that you do not have a criminal record. | | | | secure well paid job that can provide you with |
| Write and Pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam | | | | challenge and meaning in your life, so it might just be |
| Once all your documentation is reviewed and | | | | worth it! |