One of the greatest opportunities a Bachelor Degree in Nursing Science will offer you is travel. Nurses have always traveled the world. In recent years Australia, the UAE and the UK have probably become more popular with international nurses. However, as we enter the 2020s, to secure nursing jobs in Canada has become an an increasing attractive proposition.
Canada is an attractive destination for international candidates seeking to grow their nursing career in Canada. Nurses who are most-highly sought-after include those with specialist skills in emergency departments. Ana also those in the operating rooms, and those who wish to work in a remote or isolated indigenous communities.
However, there are some important points job seekers need to be aware of in order to secure nursing jobs in Canada. For an international credentials you will need to be assessed, and you’ll need to become licensed to practice in Canada — more on that below. Second, procedures differ from one province or territory to another. This means you should have a destination or two in mind as you complete your research.
Applying For Nursing Jobs In Canada
If you’ve got the nursing qualifications from abroad but how can you leverage this training and experience into a fulfilling nursing career in Canada? This blog post will guide you.
Procedures To Become a Nurse In Canada
The NNAS is the National Nursing Assessment Service for Canada and the US, and this is the first step to getting your license: register with this online service. You can do this prior to arriving in Canada if you wish.
Registration with the NNAS involves completing an online form providing your demographics, education, professional experience for the past five years, and declaring every nursing body you are currently or have previously been registered with.
You will need to apply to the NNAS if you were educated abroad and are seeking nursing jobs in Canada (outside of Quebec and the Territories), in one of the below roles:
- Registered Nurse (RN)
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN)
Registration Process
- Pay a fee of $765 USD or more to register with the NNAS.
- Send notary-signed copies of your identification documents (passport, birth certificate)
- You must have relevant people from your college, previous employment ,and nursing bodies you are registered with
- The website provides video tutorials on how to complete these forms, and you have one year from the date of registering with NNAS to return all documents.
Once all documents have been returned, the NNAS will approve you . However, it should be noted that this can take up to a year. Once approved, you will have permission to apply for license in your destination province In Canada.
The NNAS will provide an initial assessment of your credentials and match these to comparable Canadian standards. The NNAS have an online handbook you can use to learn more.
In addition to the NNAS, each province in Canada requires you to sit an English exam, or French if you are hoping to work in Quebec, if you cannot provide proof of fluency in the English language. The NCLEX exam is the test used to determine your English language skills.