Canada destination guide
Start with the province or territory, the correct nursing category and the regulator that will assess your application.
Canada pathway
Begin with the overview, then use the focused guides that match your application.
Canada
Canada does not have one nationwide RN licence. The provincial or territorial regulator determines eligibility to practise. Many internationally educated nurses use NNAS, but not every province, territory,…
Canada
NNAS verifies and processes records for internationally educated applicants in participating Canadian jurisdictions. Its expedited RN/LPN pathway and registered psychiatric nurse pathway have different…
Canada
Ontario nursing registration is administered by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). Ontario uses RN and RPN, where RPN means Registered Practical Nurse, not Registered Psychiatric Nurse. Applicants may…
Canada
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Atlantic provinces and territories use jurisdiction-specific nursing regulators and pathways. Requirements can differ by category and by where the…
Useful everywhere
These guides help you compare destinations, organize documents and separate registration from immigration and employment.
All destinations
A nurse planning a move abroad should identify the destination jurisdiction, nursing category, current licence, education country, recent practice, and immigration status before paying for assessments. Nursing…
All destinations
A licence from one country does not by itself provide automatic permission to practise in another. A UK licence may be relevant to certain Australia registration pathways, but additional criteria apply. A US…
All destinations
A useful preparation file includes valid identification, nursing diploma or degree, transcript, licensing registration history, good-standing records, practice or employment verification, language test…
Exams
NCLEX is used by US nursing boards and certain Canadian nursing regulators for applicable registration classes. The exam measures entry-level nursing competence. Its eligibility, application, and results…
All destinations
Nursing registration, authorization to work, and a job offer are distinct. Employers may require further occupational health checks, references, background screening, local orientation or specialty…