Nurses licensed elsewhere in Canada can now register within a single day, a marked improvement from the previous five-day process.
Nurses licensed elsewhere in Canada can now register within a single day, a marked improvement from the previous five-day process.
As Canadian provinces implement innovative strategies to remove barriers to employment for internationally trained nurses, the number of applications from nurses looking to work in Canada has increased significantly.
The Nova Scotia College of Nursing in Canada has launched an expedited registration and licensure process for international applicants from seven countries, namely the Philippines, India, Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The new process drastically reduces the processing time, as reported by Immigration.ca.
Nurses licensed elsewhere in Canada can now register within a single day, a marked improvement from the previous five-day process.
The duration required to process applications from internationally trained nurses from the designated countries has been reduced to a few weeks instead of several months.
Sue Smith, CEO of NSCN, expressed her satisfaction with the groundbreaking approach, stating, “I am pleased to share what is truly a first-in-the-country approach to licensing international and Canadian nurses in Nova Scotia. The new approach will significantly decrease licensing time, increase licensure of nurses, reduce administrative requirements, and is aligned with new initiatives of healthcare partners.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, the necessity for expediting the nurse registration process became apparent, as highlighted by Michelle Thompson, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Health. She emphasized the pressing need for a larger nursing workforce across the province and expressed the importance of creating a streamlined pathway for nurses wishing to establish their careers and commence work quickly.
Within a week of launching the new process, the NSCN portal received an impressive 8,821 new applications. The demand is not limited to the East Coast, as the West Coast province of British Columbia is also taking measures to attract internationally trained nurses. The province has eliminated application and assessment fees, resulting in a $3,700 cost savings for those looking for nursing jobs.
British Columbia Premier David Eby stressed the significance of eliminating financial barriers in the registration process, stating that there are highly skilled and experienced nurses eager to practice in B.C. and contribute to delivering exceptional care.
However, he acknowledged that the existing expensive and intricate registration process can hinder their participation. Eby affirmed that British Columbia is prepared to embrace nurses, regardless of whether they were trained within or outside the province, who are dedicated to caring for its residents.
British Columbia is also extending its support to nurses who have not been working in their fields for a while. These individuals are exempt from paying the $300 application fee and can receive over $4,000 in financial assistance to cover assessments and travel expenses, thus facilitating their reintegration into the workforce.
With these streamlined processes and supportive measures, Canadian provinces are reaffirming their commitment to attracting and integrating internationally trained nurses, ensuring a stronger healthcare system and improved patient care throughout the country.
Recruitment of internationally trained nurses in Canada has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, with 1,836 new permanent residents in 2022 joining as registered and psychiatric nurses, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, matching the figure of 1,840 recorded in 2019.
