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Nursing Jobs in Canada
Canada has been, and still is, one of the more
attractive destinations for nurses looking to further their career
- either as a permanent move or just to visit the country on a
working holiday. As with most Western countries there is a general
shortage of skilled, experienced nurses and as a result there
are boundless opportunities for the right people.
If you're heading to Canada to work you'll need
a valid work permit or other immigration visa to enter Canada.
For an overview of the Canadian immigration process, click
here. If you're looking to find a nursing job in Canada as
a way in to the country you might want to read our article on
'Finding Overseas
Jobs' for tips, hints and strategies for finding overseas
work.
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Canada has a publicly funded
health system within which the majority of nurses work. There
are also opportunities for employment within private organisations
but by far and away the majority of nurses work in the public
arena. Nurses with skills in demand, such as operating room, emergency,
and critical care may find it generally easier to find employment
than other specialty nurses however the employment prospects overall
for nurses in Canada are generally quite good. If you intend to
live and work in some of the smaller or more isolated communities
your skills may be even more welcome.
In order to look for work
as a registered nurse in Canada you need to be licenced. But unlike
most other countries Canada does not have a national licencing
requirement – instead you are required to hold a licence
for the province or territory that you intend to work in. Obviously
this can make it a little more difficult if your main intention
is to simply travel around Canada on a working vacation as not
all of the different territories and provinces have the same procedures
and requirements.
Although all applications for a licence are treated on an individual
basis all provinces and territories however require three fundamental
criteria to be met:
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- Verification
of an applicant’s credentials (education, experience)
- Passing of the Canadian Registered Nursing Examination
- Language proficiency (where required)
The
passing of the Canadian Registered Nursing Examination is required
to be undertaken by all licence applicants in all provinces and
territories except Quebec (who have their own examination –
contact the OIIQ
for details). Registration of nurses is the responsibility of
the Provincial Nurses Association in all provinces and territories
with the exception of Ontario (College of Nurses) and Quebec (OIIQ
– Ordre des infimières et infirmiers du Québec).
The Canadian RN examination can only be taken in Canada with the
authority of the appropriate licencing board. Click here
to see the contact details of the licencing and regulatory board
in the province you wish to work. You can request a licencing
application pack from them and they should also be in a position
to offer information about local employment prospects.
In order to be considered for registration in Canada an international
nurse must be similarly qualified in their own country, must be
able to demonstrate an adequate command of the English language
(or French, depending on the province or territory you wish to
work), must be able to provide proof of their work experience,
and finally must pass the Canadian RN examination. If a nurse
already holds an offer of employment, he/she may be able to commence
work on an interim permit before taking the Canadian RN exam as
long as their credentials meet the requirements of the registration
board. The applicant will then be able to take the examination
within a set period of time and, after successfully completing
the examination, will be issued a permanent licence to work as
a registered nurse.
In nearly all cases you will have to begin the process of registering
as a nurse from outside Canada as you are not permitted to enter
the country on a visitor’s visa and then look for work.
A visitor’s visa cannot be converted into a working visa
if you happen to find work. There are exceptions to this rule,
so it’s always best to check with your nearest Canadian
Embassy or Consulate for the latest immigration information.
To determine if you are eligible to meet the criteria for gaining
a Canadian nursing licence you should ideally meet the following
conditions:
You should have completed a government recognized nursing education
program of a minimum three years, in addition to at least two
years of recent practical work experience in a related field to
which you wish to register under (i.e. Operating room, child care,
IC, etc.). The minimum work requirement is about 450 hours safe
working practice in the last 5 years, or graduation within this
period.
References: You should be able to provide work and educational
referees who can attest to your character, your education and
your work history. You may also need to gain a police certificate
to attest to the fact that you have no criminal history.
Language requirements: You must be fluent in English (or French
for Quebec). If English is not your native language, you must
have a passing score of at least 6.5 from the IELTS examination.
Bear in mind that you don’t need the language certification
to apply for your working visa, but you will need it for your
registration application so you can apply for your working visa
prior to applying for nursing registration if that is of benefit
to you. Of course, if you are hoping to find an offer of employment
before applying for a visa you will need to apply for registration
first.
The
process of obtaining the correct immigration papers, perhaps work
sponsorship and having your paperwork checked by the licencing
authorities can be a long, drawn out process - so it’s important
that you have a full understanding of all the processes involved
and the time frame that you are likely to encounter. You may be
comfortable taking on all the paperwork by yourself or you may
wish to use the services of a professional agency. In most cases
where you are using an agency purely for the purposes of finding
employment you are not required to pay for their services. They
receive their commission from the employer who employs you. If
you use an agency for immigration purposes as well, you may be
charged for their services so make sure you shop around and are
comfortable with the company you’re dealing with. To assist
you to gather information and take the next step, we’ve
put together a number of online resources to help you - gathered
from suggestions and opinions of those who have gone down this
road before you. Simply click on the 'Useful resources' button
below. We hope there is something there to help you become a registered
nurse in Canada. If you would like to share your experiences or
if you have any useful links to help future nurses looking to
move to Canada, we’d love to hear
from you.
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