Immigrate to Canada as a Nurse
The healthcare system in Canada depends heavily on nurses. The need for nurses with international education has never been greater due to the pandemic’s worsening effect on the nation’s nursing shortage. Whether you recently earned your nursing degree abroad or have years of experience, moving to Canada can open up a world of opportunity. In this post, we’ll look at nursing immigration options, provincial licensure requirements, and in-demand nursing positions in Canada.
- Reasons to move to Canada as a nurse
- Does Canada accept foreign nurses?
- Immigration programs for internationally qualified nurses
- Types of nursing licenses in Canada
- How to get licensed in Canada as a foreign-trained nurse
- In-demand jobs for nurses in Canada
- How much money do nurses make in Canada?
- How to find nursing jobs in Canada
- Recruitment process for nursing jobs in Canada
- Should you move to Canada as an internationally educated nurse?
Reasons to move to Canada as a nurse
As an internationally trained nurse, settling in Canada can be an attractive opportunity for various reasons, including:
Shortage of skilled nurses in Canada
The government’s Job Bank predicts that there will be a labour shortage in nursing for the foreseeable future. According to projections, there would be 191,100 job openings for registered nurses (RNs) between 2019 and 2028, but only 154,600 suitable applicants (including recent graduates and immigrants) to fill these jobs, resulting in a nationwide shortage of 36,500 RNs. The number of openings for registered nurses, nursing assistants, and patient service associates in Canada has almost quadrupled between 2019 and 2021.
Nursing is an in-demand job in most provinces
Most jurisdictions, including Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, and Manitoba, have a high demand for nurses. A lot of work is being done to find and train nurses, as well as to make it simpler for nurses with international degrees to immigrate to Canada.
For instance, Ontario set up $342 million in its 2021 provincial budget to hire 5,000 new and more qualified registered nurses and registered practical nurses. Similarly to this, Québec wants to hire 1,000 Francophone nurses with international training by 2023.
Nurses earn high salaries in Canada
Although nursing salaries vary based on province and the National Occupation Classification (NOC) code your occupation falls under, nursing jobs in Canada generally pay well. The median income for registered nurses in Canada is around $76,000 per year, but many RNs earn as much as $92,000 per year.
Does Canada accept foreign nurses?
Canada’s healthcare system depends on nurses with international training to function properly. Many Canadian immigration policies provide priority to choosing entrants in sought-after professions, like nursing, for permanent residence (PR).
However, you must have a licence in the province where you plan to work before you migrate to Canada as a nurse and begin looking for jobs. The majority of provinces permit you to begin the licensure procedure online, enabling international nurses to access the labour market more quickly.
Immigration programs for internationally qualified nurses
In Canada, immigrants are eligible to apply for permanent residency provided they possess the knowledge and credentials necessary to fill in significant skill gaps. You can choose from a number of PR programmes if you want to immigrate to Canada as a nurse.
Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program
With the help of the Express Entry Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) programme, skilled workers from throughout the world can become permanent citizens of Canada. Under the FSW programme, candidates are chosen based on the Complete Ranking Score (CRS) of their profile rather than their occupation.
Your age, education, employment history, language ability, and other characteristics all affect your CRS score. If you have a job offer from Canada, a province nomination (see the PNP section below), Canadian work experience, or Canadian academic credentials, you will also receive bonus points.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)
With the exception of Quebec and Nunavut, all Canadian provinces and territories have Provincial Nominee Programs that enable them to recommend candidates who have the skills and qualities required to fill labour shortages.
While provinces may nominate skilled employees in particular professions or National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes to fill urgent market demands, Express Entry PNP stream selection is based on CRS scores. A province that is in need of qualified nurses may have a greater chance of nominating you. For pertinent NOC codes for nursing, see the section below on in-demand nursing positions.
Here are some PNP streams and draws to keep an eye on as you get ready to become a nurse immigrant to Canada.
Province | PNP streams for nurses |
| British Columbia |
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| Alberta |
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| Ontario |
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| Manitoba |
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| Nova Scotia |
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| New Brunswick |
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| Saskatchewan |
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| Newfoundland and Labrador |
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| Prince Edward Island |
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| Northwest Territories |
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| Yukon |
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Types of nursing licenses in Canada
In Canada, nursing is a regulated profession, and in order to practise as a nurse there, you must first obtain a licence from your province or territory’s regulatory body. The majority of provinces permit you to begin the licencing procedure before you get to Canada.
Based on the amount of schooling, level of expertise, and nature of the position, there are three primary categories of nursing licences in Canada:
Nurse Practitioner (NP)
You need to have professional experience as a registered nurse and either a master’s degree in nursing or an advanced nursing credential with a focus on adult, paediatric, or primary healthcare to be eligible for an NP licence (or equivalent). Applicants must first register for, or be qualified for, an RN licence because in some jurisdictions the NP licence is seen as an extension of the RN licence.
Registered Nurse (RN) and Registered Psychiatric Nurse
If you have a bachelor’s degree in nursing, you may be eligible for an RN license. You must show proof of recent nursing practice if you received your degree more than three years ago.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN, also known as Registered Practical Nurse)
If you have a nursing diploma, you can be licensed as an LPN. You must present proof of recent nursing practice if you received your diploma more than three years ago.
The names of the licenses can vary according to the province you apply to, and there might be entry-level licenses available for nursing students or recent graduates. The licensure procedure for registered psychiatric nurses is distinct from that for registered nurses in some provinces, including British Columbia and Alberta.
Each of the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia has a single college that oversees all varieties of nurses. Each category of nursing has its own regulator in all other provinces and territories. For additional information about the licensing procedure for your nursing category, go to the website of your provincial or territorial regulator:
Province/Territory | The regulatory body for nurses |
| Alberta | |
| British Columbia | |
| Manitoba | |
| New Brunswick | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | |
| Northwest Territories | |
| Nova Scotia | |
| Nunavut |
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| Ontario | |
| Prince Edward Island | |
| Quebec |
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| Saskatchewan | |
| Yukon |
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How to get licensed in Canada as a foreign-trained nurse?
Once your eligibility has been established, you must submit an application for the necessary nursing license. To register with your provincial regulator, submit the needed documentation, and pay a licensing fee, you must first acquire a report from the National Nursing Assessment Service. Despite the fact that each province’s or territory’s license regulations are different, the following steps are frequently involved:
Registration with National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS)
Internationally educated nurses who qualify for an RN, RPN, or LN license must complete an online National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) application before immigrating to Canada. Here are the key steps for registering with the NNAS:
- Create an online account, pay the fee, and start your application:
Select one nursing category and one province for your application and pay the main application order fee of $650 USD plus taxes. You have 12 months to complete your documentation and submit your application after paying the fee.
- Provide your identity documents
Submit notarized, signed copies of two identification documents, including one photo ID, such as your passport, driver’s license, or other government-issued identification. Other acceptable identity documents include birth certificates, name change affidavits, and marriage certificates.
- Submit your nursing education form
Send printed copies of the form to each international post-secondary institution you attended for your nursing education. The institutions will have to send the completed forms, along with your academic transcripts and course descriptions, directly to NNAS. Internationally qualified nurses DO NOT require a separate Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA).
- Submit your nursing registration form
Send printed copies of the form to all licensing authorities where you were registered as a nurse outside Canada. The licensing authorities will need to complete the form and send it to NNAS directly.
- Submit your nursing employment form
Send printed copies of this form to all the employers you’ve worked for in the past five years. Your employers must send the completed forms to NNAS directly.
- Submit your language test results
If your first language isn’t English or French, you must appear for an approved language test (IELTS, CELBAN, or TEF) and meet the minimum score threshold. If you live and work in a country where the primary language is English/French and your nursing study program was in one of these languages, you don’t need to submit language test results.
| Note: You cannot submit education, registration, and employment forms to NNAS yourself. NNAS will charge a translation fee if the documents submitted as part of your application aren’t in English or French. |
NNAS will assess your foreign nursing credentials and compare them to Canadian qualifications for the purpose of licensing. It will also review your identification documents, international work experience, language test results, and other key documents. NNAS will then prepare a report on your nursing education, registration history, and experience and send it to your provincial regulatory authority.
Apply to register as a nurse in your province
Tip: Most provinces allow you to complete the licensing and registration process online from outside Canada. The entire process, including the NNAS application, can take up to 18 months. Be sure to start the process as early as possible so you can begin your nursing career in Canada soon after arrival.
Contact your provincial or territorial authority after completing your NNAS application and request that they take your application for a nursing license into consideration. After receiving your file from NNAS, the regulator will only begin the process. The initial application cost, which varies by province and nursing category, must be paid at this point.
Your nursing education qualifications, evidence of recent practise (work experience within the last three years), and proof of language ability will all be examined by the provincial authority. You might need to take additional coursework or assessments if your application doesn’t satisfy the licensure standards.
To qualify for a provincial nursing license, you must also:
- Be a Canadian citizen, or permanent resident, or have the authorization to work in Canada.
- Pass the Registration Examination for the applicable nursing category to prove your competency. RN license applicants must appear for the NCLEX-RN exam (National Council Licensure Examination) while LPN applicants must give the REx-PN test (Regulatory Exam – Practical Nurse).
- Complete the Jurisprudence Examination to demonstrate your knowledge of the laws, regulations, standards, and guidelines that apply to the nursing profession in your province or territory.
- Declare whether you suffer from any mental or physical condition or disorder that might impact your ability to practice nursing.
- Submit a criminal background check report and declare any past offenses or instances where you were refused registration as a nurse in any country.
After you’ve met all the licensing requirements, you can pay the registration and first-year membership fee and complete your registration online.
In-demand jobs for nurses in Canada
Many provinces and territories require nurses to meet local labour market needs. According to recent provincial and territorial data, the following nursing jobs are most in demand across Canada:
| In-demand nursing jobs | Provinces with the most demand |
| Nurse practitioners (NOC 31302, previously 3124, TEER 1) |
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| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 31301, previously 3012, TEER 1) |
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| Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors (NOC 31300, previously 3011, TEER 1) |
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| Licensed practical nurses (NOC 32101, previously 3233, TEER 2) |
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| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 33102, previously 3413, TEER 3) |
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Note: This list is based on in-demand jobs data published by various provinces and territories and recent PNP draws. Labour market requirements change over time and provinces may prioritize other NOCs where skill shortages are more acute. Read our in-demand jobs in Canada article series for more information on the scope of your occupation, average wages, and more.
How much money do nurses make in Canada?
The average pay for nurses in Canada varies by province, speciality, and years of employment. The median pay for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in Canada is $40 per hour, according to the Government of Canada’s Job Bank. The highest median wages are found in Nunavut ($67.83/hour), the Northwest Territories ($53.23/hour), Yukon ($45.28/hour), and Saskatchewan ($44.23/hour). Hourly wages of more than $50 are typical in regions like British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, and Manitoba where the shortage of registered nurses is the worse.
In Canada, the median hourly pay for nurse practitioners is $53.37, whereas the range for licenced practical nurses is $22 to $33.23.
How to find nursing jobs in Canada?
You can begin looking for your first nursing job in Canada before you arrive because the majority of provinces allow you to complete the nursing licensing process from outside of the country. You can use the following advice to choose a position that suits you:
- Familiarize yourself with local job market requirements
- Gather additional qualifications and skills
- Craft a Canadian-style nursing resume
- Explore job search platforms and employer websites
- Build your professional network
Recruitment process for nursing jobs in Canada
Employers in Canada shortlist potential nursing candidates based on their resumes and cover letters. Several healthcare businesses host open interview days where competent nursing candidates can show up for walk-in interviews, despite the fact that many fill open positions through referrals from their network or by publicizing the vacancy.
The first interview is usually a screening one in which the recruiter inquires about your qualifications, nursing interests, and patient care philosophy. If you’re selected, you’ll go through several rounds of interviews, including one to determine how well you’ll fit in with the team and the culture.
After your selection, the employer will conduct background screening and reference checks to verify your identity, credentials, nursing license, employment history, and past conduct. Finally, the employer will make an offer of employment, which you can accept outright or after negotiating its terms.
Should you move to Canada as an internationally educated nurse?
All of Canada’s provinces have a strong demand for qualified nurses, and the local supply cannot satisfy this demand. As a nurse with training from abroad, Canada’s immigration policies present you with a fascinating, rewarding opportunity to immigrate to the country and establish a permanent residence. However, obtaining a license can take some time, and you might need to pass a few provincial exams or pursue more training before you can work as a licensed nurse in Canada.
For Free Assessment, you can contact our expert immigration consultants.