A Detailed Guide for Nurses to Immigrate To Canada Hassle-Free

A Detailed Guide for Nurses to Immigrate To Canada Hassle-Free

Post by : Admin on Mar 28,2022

A Detailed Guide for Nurses to Immigrate To Canada Hassle-Free

The latest Omicron wave has turned the healthcare system upside down. Overworked healthcare workers quit their jobs or left practice due to the higher levels of stress caused due to the pandemic. Hospitals and clinics are hence left with extensive labour shortages and an inevitable need to recruit more internationally-based nurses.

Yes, there’s good news for the nurses even amidst these insane times.

Internationally-based nurses with the right qualification and experience can work in Canada and acquire permanent residence hassle-free. There are several economic immigration programs at the provincial and federal levels that can help you get the dream nurse job in Canada.

Healthcare Labour Shortages Lead to Better Career Opportunities for Nurses

The shortage of staff in the healthcare industry began before the pandemic. The Jobbank employment website of Ottawa, for example, predicted a shortage of at least 36,500 nurses during 2019-2028. The situation is worse now. No wonder there are at least 19,200 job listings for nurses on the Indeed.ca job websites in early February.

The wages are quite standard for nurses in Canada. For instance, a nurse from the Canadian territory of Nunavut can earn about $169,045 for a 37.5-hour weekly work. The median annual wage for nurses is almost $78,000 for a standard workweek across Canada.

How can foreign nationals work as nurses in Canada?

Here comes the main part. There are several immigration programs that can help you immigrate to Canada and work as a nurse. The programs include the Express Entry system, Skilled Worker program in Quebec, and one of the Provincial Nominee Programs or PNP.

  • Express Entry System- Nurses can qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker program if their CRS profile score is high enough.
  • PNP- Each Canadian province functions on its own PNP that can help you acquire permanent residency in Canada.
  • Skilled Worker- The Skilled Worker program can also help you qualify to come to Canada and work as a nurse in Quebec if you can score at least 50 points on the selection grid of the province.

Who are welcome in Canada?

You can immigrate to Canada as a nurse if you are:

  • Registered nurses with a university degree in nursing
  • Licensed practical nurses
  • Registered practical nurses in Ontario with a post-secondary diploma in nursing
  • Registered psychiatric nurses with a Bachelor’s or post-grad degree in psychiatric nursing

Steps for Foreign Nurses to Apply for Immigration Programs

 Immigrating to Canada as a nurse is as easy as a breeze if you are aware of the eligibility criteria and application processes. The steps involved are:

  1. Evaluate your academic credentials and see if they meet Canadian standards

There are five organizations that the Canadian Government recognizes for the assessment of foreign educational credentials such as:

  • Comparative Education Service
  • World Education Services
  • International Qualifications Assessment Service
  • International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
  • International Credential Evaluation Services

 

  1. Get your nursing credentials recognized by the NNAS in Canada. This step costs around US$650.
  2. Create a profile on the NNAS application page which requires:
  • A completed nursing education form that is downloadable from the website, the form should be sent to the school where the nurse completed her/his education. The school officials need to sign and complete the form and then send it to NNAS along with academic transcripts, course descriptions and course curriculum.
  • Submission of two notarised pieces of identity that are signed, dated, and stamped
  • Submission of the nursing registration form to the nursing licensing authority where the nurse is currently registered
  • A signed nursing employment or practice form that you need to send to all employers you have worked with for the past five years. the employers need to complete the form and send it to NNAS
  • Immigration IELTS language testing results again needs to be sent to NNAS from an approved language testing company

 

Procedure for Foreign Nurses to Apply to Provincial Regulatory Authorities

Once the NNAS has received all the mandatory documents as mentioned above, you need to submit the application to Provincial Regulatory Authorities. That is how you can pick your preferred nursing group and the provincial association such as:

  • British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals and Midwives;
  • College of Registered Nurses of Alberta;
  • College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta;
  • College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta;
  • Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association;
  • Saskatchewan Association of Licensed Practical Nurses;
  • Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Saskatchewan;
  • College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba;
  • College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba;
  • College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba;
  • College of Nurses of Ontario;
  • Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec;
  • Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec;
  • Nurses Association of New Brunswick;
  • Association of New Brunswick Licensed Practical Nurses;
  • Nova Scotia College of Nursing;
  • College of Registered Nurses of Prince Edward Island;
  • College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Prince Edward Island;
  • College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador;
  • College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador;
  • Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut;
  • Government of Northwest Territories, Registrar, Professional Licensing, Health and Social Services;
  • Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut;
  • Government of Nunavut, Department of Health;
  • Yukon Registered Nurses Association, and;
  • Government of Yukon, Yukon Department of Community Services.

All in all, it’s an excellent career opportunity for nurses in Canada. But, the application procedure is time-consuming and confusing as well. Why don’t you focus on the bigger picture while we at Onkar Immigration guide you through the processes seamlessly?


Back