Nursing in Alberta vs Ontario

[chasinglight]

Hi guys

I have a friend who is moving to Canada as well and is a nurse and can't decide between Alberta and Ontario. Which province is easier getting the license and which province has better prospects for nurses/

 

[next2015]

I believe all provinces have prospects for nurses - the entire west does. It's one of those professions where supply has failed to meet the demand (which is growing at a faster rate). In the US, it's worse, there's a growing need for nursing professors too.

You didn't say where your friend is currently licensed so I can't give you a specific answer so I'll give just give you information from a general perspective.

To answer your question, the prospects are good in all provinces. The difference is in the licensing - Quebec, has a very long process that frustrates even Canadian nurses from other provinces. To the best of my knowledge, Alberta may have the easiest path to licensing depending on where the applicant got their training and license prior to moving to Canada. If you are from the US, you must have done the NCLEX- RN exam Alberta is adopting the exam for licensure of their nurses so the new process has created a stream for international nurses who have done the NCLEX-RN. You simply need to get you academic credentials evaluated and your state board to verify your license and NCLEX exam scores versus going back to study... I'm not sure about the other provinces but I do know there's a move to change the licensing process across all the provinces and it will include the NCLEX - Alberta has been the first to implement the changes. Coincidentally, it also has the best economy (even with the current state of affairs).

The downside with the Alberta process is its a bit costly but still way cheaper than going back to college for certain classes. Credential evaluation for all internationally trained nurses is done by NNAS for all provinces. It is their assessment that the applicant then presents to the provincial licensing body. NNAS charges $650. The provincial bodies have their own fees from $200 and up, depending on a number of factors. Either way it's cheaper in terms of cost and time if one has done the NCLEX exam.

I hope this helps. All the best.

 

[chasinglight]

Thanks so much next 2015. She's currently licensed as an LPN in Barbados and did her Bachelors in Nursing in Jamaica. Here in Barbados she technically does the duties of both an LPN and RN.

Thank you for all of your help. She currently has close family friends in both Alberta and Ontario but has more people she knows in Ontario. She was originally planning to settle in Alberta but she is thinking maybe that is too far to start out in terms of her mother visiting and her support system is mostly in Ontario but she didn't know if jobs would be harder to get in Ontario. The most important thing to her is being able to work as soon as possible as to not eat up her savings when she lands.

 

[trytry]

Well i don't know you applied for registration or not but in Ontario rules are more liberal and they have their own set of rules. They have same requirement of English language skill requirement on IELTS but they give you more options to achieve than any other province in Canada. If your're not getting your score in IELTS/CELBAN then you can show them that you have got some sort of nursing course or bridging course which was done in English language so this way you can bypass IELTS requirement.

And if you dont have IELTS results or any bridging course or extra nursing course in English language then they also consider non-nursing work experience in Canada, lets say you are working in Wal-Mart and you are working there for 6 months or 1 year and if your employer give you in writing that your primary language of communication was English and then the committee can consider that too.

Ontario has lot of flexibility than any other province. Other provinces if they want IELTS/CELBAN then you can't give them any other result like in Ontario.

Ontario also consider your NCLEX-RN exam if you have ever taken before.

In Ontario, if you have passed all the exams, CRNE/NCLEX-RN, jurisprudence exam, and still lacking for English scores lets say even after 2 years (they only wait for 2 years for all the papers, results), then if you request them in writing for additional time for language scores, committee may grant you 2 more years for English language scores, but in Ontario you have to submit your COPR/PR card photocopy in first 2 years, so if you're not PR then first you get PR or if you've applied for PR and sure that you're gonna get then you can apply with Ontario.

BUT SADLY now you can't apply directly to CNO as an IEN. Now you have to go to NNAS first...so it's kind of lengthy process.

Like you said you're from Barbados, then you don't need IELTS for registration but you have to apply through NNAS, being an IEN (I guess)

 

[chasinglight]

Can you apply for registration when you aren't a PR yet. Her application is in the final stages so she is going to apply for NNAS asap and then after she lands apply to the CNO once she gets her NNAS results just waiting on the COPR letter before she gives her current employer the form they need to fill out for NNAS so that things don't get too awkward so that they do it when she's ready to resign

 

[next2015]

Yes he's can apply to NNAS before a decision on her PR application is made. In fact, it is wise to do so before she leaves Barbados, it will be easier for her to obtain the documents required to support her application e.g. academic transcripts (sent by the school), letters from former and current employers, confirmation of current licensure from the licensing body(ies). The forms are quite many and some of them are expected to be sent by the "issuing" party.

The earlier she starts on it, the better.

 

[chasinglight]

Yes he's can apply to NNAS before a decision on her PR application is made. In fact, it is wise to do so before she leaves Barbados, it will be easier for her to obtain the documents required to support her application e.g. academic transcripts (sent by the school), letters from former and current employers, confirmation of current licensure from the licensing body(ies). The forms are quite many and some of them are expected to be sent by the "issuing" party.

The earlier she starts on it, the better.

Thanks. What about the College of Ontario Nurses part. Does she have to land before she apply to take their test

 

[next2015]

That part only kicks in after NNAS releases her initial assessment. Please have her visit the link below for a detailed flow of the process.
http://www.cno.org/en/become-a-nurse/new-applicants1/outside-canada/

 

[chasinglight]

That part only kicks in after NNAS releases her initial assessment. Please have her visit the link below for a detailed flow of the process.
http://www.cno.org/en/become-a-nurse/new-applicants1/outside-canada/



We read through all of that already just wasn't sure if you could only register for the exam after your land etc because i know she can do the nnas assessment from here before she lands

 

[chasinglight]

That part only kicks in after NNAS releases her initial assessment. Please have her visit the link below for a detailed flow of the process.
http://www.cno.org/en/become-a-nurse/new-applicants1/outside-canada/

We read through all of that already just wasn't sure if you could only register for the exam after your land etc because i know she can do the nnas assessment from here before she lands but can she start the CNO process before she lands once she gets her COPR which should be soon