An aging population combined with a shortage of nurses is a dangerous combination for the Canadian health care sector. The number of practicing nurses is declining worldwide and in Canada, the shortage of nurses is causing longer hospital wait times and a decrease in the quality of service provided.
Canadian nurses themselves are part of the problem. In the province of Quebec alone, over 71,000 nurses are now over the age of 55 and are quickly approaching retirement. Canadian nursing schools are not producing enough graduates to fill the nursing vacancies and because of this shortage, countless nurses are required to work over-time. As Canada is not producing enough nurses, foreign-trained nurses may be the best prescription.
Canadian immigration programs, such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program, target specific occupations that are in high demand in Canada, like Registered and Licensed Practical Nurses. Last June, the Federal Skilled Worker Program was adjusted so that only 1,000 applications would be accepted for each of the 29 eligible occupations. As of December 2010, Registered Nurses had already reached the cap limit.
Attorney David Cohen offers the following advice for nurses, “Although the Registered Nurses occupation has reached its cap limit under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Licensed Practical Nurses still have over 800 spots available. An applicant needs one year of paid work experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse within the past 10 years in order to qualify, even if they are not currently working as a nurse. As well, there are many other immigration programs available for nurses, such as the Quebec Skilled Worker Program and the numerous Provincial Nominee Programs. Nurses can also obtain a work permit for Canada once he/she has a job offer from a Canadian employer.” Many Canadian hospitals are currently in desperate need of nurses. Because of its shortage of nurses, one hospital in Quebec, has recently announced that they respond to any nurse who submits a resumé within 1 hour.
All nurses, including those who are internationally trained, are required to be certified by a provincial regulation body before they are able to practice in Canada. Registered Nurses, except those wishing to practice in Quebec, must also pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination. Canada’s Economic Action Plan and the Foreign Credential Recognition Program are working together to assist foreign workers to better integrate into the Canadian workplace. The assessment of foreign credentials and experience is currently being streamlined for 8 priority occupations, including Registered Nurses, meaning their credentials will be evaluated in less time compared to other occupations. The next set of 6 priority occupations will include Licensed Practical Nurses.
If you are a foreign-trained nurse who wants to immigrate to Canada, there has never been a better time to apply.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I am an internationally educated nurse. I have applied for immigration over a year ago. Unfortunately, My case is not finalized yet. I have provided all the necessary documentation.
While waiting for the immigration visa. I managed to pass the CRNE exam.
The article clearly illustrates the need of nurses in canada.However, due to the economical difficulties, there are not enough jobs.
I am really confused, how come the country is in urgent need of nurses at the same time , there are no jobs!!!
i think the nurse’s role in health care has changed dramatically over the last 10years . it is a very good option . and nowadays, the majority of the jobs in the field of health care are occupied by registered nurses.
Hello, my name is Kyle Wheatley, i am a born and raised 4th generation Canadian Citizen. I have some friends who are currently living in the United States, they are immigrants from Phillipines. I know that they are both registered nurses and are in desperate need of a Hospital to sponsor them, they are husband and wife. They have been vastly looking for work in Canada but havn’t had any luck yet. I am hoping that if a longtime Canadian citizen such as myself gives a strong reference for them that their luck would change. If there is any information i can convey to them that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. I know Canada is in great need for nurses, especially foreign experienced nurses and i know that they would be a great addition to any hospital who would take them on.
Sincerely
Kyle Wheatley
Hi Kyle,
There are indeed programs available for nurses. If your friends would like to know more information, you can direct them to fill out our free online assessment. The Canadavisa facebook page is a good forum to ask questions and receive responses from one of our specialists.
-The CIC News Team
I am disappointed with the English requirement in BC for internationally educated nurses. I took the IELTS 3 times already for my clinical consolidated course at Kwantlen but they wont accept me because one component of my english score is 0.5 lower to their new required score. I am stuck now with this English exam. CRNBC changed the English requirement score. How can they fill in nursing positions if they were to tight with the new English requirement?… I believe like the rest IENs that we have the nursing knowledge and skills to share in this country. and imagine I am earning less the minimum in a month now and i need to take over and over again the English exam to be accepted in one course. I am still here cannot move forward because of that english requirement score. I have met lots of RNs already that cannot even speak straight english but are working now in hospitals.
Hi! Im a registered nurse in Philippines & United arab Emirates. I also passed NCLEX (California). Can you assist me to get a job in CAnada as a nurse?
hi.. i am currently work here in canada as a care giver, but i have to plan to upgrade my credentials and take the CNRE, what is the requirements for foreign worker like me who wants to take the exam. what is the step that i need to follow?
thank you..
hi, i am trying to come in canada on skilled worker program. i am working as a cook at 4 star delux hotel since 2007. And one employer has been applied for ALMO almost three months completed and still saying to me wait, my question is that how long it take time, is there possiable still or some thing wrong ?
thanks
your articles are totally out of date
just in case you did not updated your knowledge about the Nursing opportunities
i have to tell you that your article may sound promising, but it is actually total nonsense.
There are no jobs, especially for foreign trained nurses, there is lot of discrimination when it comes to even accepting you as a nurse.However in a meantime schools are producing zillions of freshly graduated nurses with no jobs. you people should go and actually see what i am talking about, i’ve been there and i am still actively engaged to even get accepted as a nurse. I have been Registred nurse in eastern Europe with almost 20 yrs experience, however here i can not even do nurses aide, which does not make any sense. I think you people are not telling how bad things really are, there are no jobs, and to get licensed if you are coming from eastern europe is impossible !, yet you just lure people to your website anyway by promising lot of jobs, where there are none as well as there is no way you can be accepted for the job even if you have lot of experience in eastern Europe. I think the situation is completely different when you coming from Asia for instance.
Anyway that is all i can say. Just do your homework and do not make false promises, because people believe you as i did and then when they come here then they find out that they being lied to and have no possibility to ever get a nursing job and never mind even to get a license its impossible, and i am talking about especially Vancouver BC.
Although Canada as mentioned in the article , is facing this much shortage in nursing, still the applicants has to wait and wait for months and months and even years before they get the reply from the CNO!! Iam one example of that!
When I applied to Canadian immigration process I was informed that nurses are highly required and jobs are plenty ,however,I resigned from my job in my home country and came here to sit jobless ,just waiting and waiting my eligibility to write the registration exam!!
I prefer to keep my identity. I however applied for CNO nursing, naturally, i was denied. Now i was able to enroll at one of the univ. and pass most of my subj. except for one. The school makes it harder and harder for everyone. I waited for so long to get my CNO assessed and then wait again for almost one year for admission in the school. now, they made sure that if one subj. does not meet with the required grade, YOUR’E out… wow… can’t they have a heart to at least let you continue.. CANADA? getting into nursing is WOOOOO…. hard.
Thanks,