Overview

Canada eagerly aims at providing various effective and efficient ways for well qualified and experienced nurses to further improve the quality of health care services available to the people residing in Canada. As after the COVID-19 pandemic, the shortage and demand of skilled nurses in healthcare centres have never been this much higher. If you are working in a Nursing profession nowadays and wanted to migrate to another country to achieve, this is the right time to immigrate to Canada to furthermore qualify in your profession. One of the occupations that is in demand currently is undoubtedly “Nursing.”

To apply for Canada PR as a nurse, there are various options and opportunities available for everyone. In Canada, a nurse can work as a coordinator, registered nurse, supervisor, licensed practical nurse, or dental nurse in various healthcare centres. With various programs like “Provincial Nominee Programs and Express Entry,” the government of Canada tries to make the immigration process quite easier for the immigrants who are either skilled or semi-skilled but who can significantly and effectively contribute to overall economic and political stability of Canada.

Reasons to immigrate to Canada as a registered nurse

As a Nurse which has been trained internationally, settling in Canada can be a very attractive opportunity for numeric reasons, including:

1. Nursing, A demanding profession – In most of the provinces like Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba due to the active efforts which are undertaken to recruit and train well efficient and skilled nurses, as well as making it convenient for internationally educated nurses to immigrate to Canada easily.
2. Shortage of skilled and efficient nurses in Canada – Various estimates show that between 2018-2028, there will be somehow around 191,100 job vacancies for nurses that are registered but only 154,700 vacancies for candidates which are qualified to complete these positions as it has been done to overcome the labour shortages in nursing in the foreseeable future.
3. Higher salaries of nurses in Canada – Although, Nursing salaries vary on number of factors and is decided by the national occupation classification (NOC). If your occupation falls under NOC, nursing jobs in Canada, generally pay well. However, the approximate income for nurses which are registered is around $76000 per year, but many registered nurses also earn around $92000 per year.

 

Different types of Nursing licenses in Canada

In order to practice nursing in Canada which is a regulated occupation, you must be licensed by your territorial or provincial regulator as only then you can work as a registered nurse.

Generally, there are three different types of nursing licenses in Canada that are completely based on the level of skill, efficiency and education required:

 

1. Registered Nurse (RN): One can easily qualify for a registered nurse license if you have a bachelors degree in nursing. But, if you earned your nursing degree 3 years ago or more than that, you must provide evidence of your recent nursing practice.
2. Nurse Practitioner (NP): In order to qualify for a nurse practitioner license, you must have a masters degree in nursing. In some of the jurisdictions this license is an extension of the registered nurse (RN) license and the applicant must be eligible for RN license first, and then can apply for NP license.
3. Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Registered Practical Nurse (RPN): If you have a diploma in nursing, you can easily qualify for an LPN or RPN license. However, if you earned diploma degree more than 3 years ago, you must provide evidence of your recent nursing practice.

However, the license names may differ depending upon the province in which you have applied for.

 

Recruitment criteria for nursing jobs in Canada

In Canada, the candidates are shortlisted by the employers during the nursing interviews completely based on their cover letters and resumes.’ However, many employers fill vacant positions through referrals, organizing walk-in interviews, organizing open interview days or by advertising the vacant position.

Talking about the rounds, the first and foremost round is typically a screening interview round where the interviewer generally asks about your interests in nursing profession, your credentials, and approach to patient care. Once you have cleared the screening round, you will undergo multiple interview rounds, including culture fit interview to know much more about your soft skills and efficiency in the profession knowledge.

Once you are selected, you are one step ahead in joining the organization. The employer will be conduction background verification and several reference checks to verify your complete identity, employment history, nursing license, and past conduct. Once all this has been completed you will be receiving an offer employment letter, which you can accept after negotiating its terms and conditions.

 

Different ways to immigrate as a nurse in Canada

There are numerous ways to immigrate to Canada as a registered nurse, you must be qualified in one of the economic immigration programs at the federal as well as the provincial level.

There are three different immigration options available for the immigrants who are willing to come to Canada as a nurse:

1.   Express Entry System
2.   Provincial Nominee Program
3.   Quebec Skilled Worker

How much nurses earn in Canada?

In Canada, the average salaries for nurses completely vary depending upon there area of expertise and the years of work experience an individual is having. According to the government of Canada’s job bank, $40/hour is provided as a wage to registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses.

In parts of Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba, the wage of a registered nurse is more than $50/hour due to the shortage of skilled nurses.

If you want to pursue your professional career as a nurse in Canada and you need assistance. Feel free to contact, Wider World Immigration, the one stop consultation for immigration, for all your immigration related requirements to make it convenient for you in one go.