TessyRegistered Nurse jobs in Canada, do you want to work as a registered nurse in Canada? Read this guide to learn about the requirements, immigration process, educational qualifications, advice, salary, and other information you require.
Nurses have a significant role in the Canadian healthcare system, the shortage of registered nurses in the nation has been made worse by the epidemic, making the need for nurses with international education greater than ever.
Moving to Canada can open up a world of possibility, whether you have just recently received your nursing license or have several years of nursing experience. This article will examine nursing immigration alternatives, provincial licensing requirements, and in-demand nursing jobs in Canada
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Motives for moving away for careers as registered nurses in Canada.
Moving to Canada as a registered nurse may be enticing for a number of reasons, including:
Canada has a nursing shortage.
The government’s Job Bank predicts that there will continue to be a nursing labor shortage for the foreseeable future. It is predicted that there will be 191,100 job openings for registered nurses (RNs) between 2019 and 2028. Still, there weren’t enough qualified candidates (including recent grads and immigrants) to fill these roles, which led to a 36,500-nurse deficit across the country. Between 2019 and 2021, the number of opportunities for registered nurses, nursing assistants, and patient service associates in Canada almost doubled.
Nursing is a highly sought-after profession in the majority of regions.
There is a significant demand for nurses in the majority of jurisdictions, including Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, and Manitoba. A concerted effort is being made to find and train more nurses, as well as to make it easier for nurses from other countries to move to Canada.
For instance, Ontario included $342 million in its 2021 provincial budget to hire 5,000 new and more qualified registered nurses and registered practical nurses for its healthcare sector. Likewise, Québec plans to employ 1,000 Francophone nurses with international training by 2023.
Nurses in Canada are paid well.
Despite the fact that nursing salary varies by province and NOC code, it is generally a well-paying profession in Canada. In Canada, registered nurses make an average yearly salary of about $76,000, while many make as much as $92,000.
Does Canada accept foreign nurses?
For Canada’s healthcare system to operate effectively, nurses with international training are essential. Numerous immigration programs in Canada encourage choosing candidates for permanent residence who work in in-demand fields like nursing (PR).
To work as a nurse in Canada, you must first obtain a license in the province where you desire to do so. The majority of provinces allow you to start the licensing procedure online, which enables nurses from other countries to enter the workforce more quickly.
Immigration Programs for Registered Nurses
Candidates for permanent residency must be foreign nationals who can fill essential skill gaps with their knowledge and credentials. One of numerous PR programs enables registered nurses to immigrate to Canada.
Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program
Express Entry is a system. The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program enables skilled employees with international credentials to settle permanently in Canada. They would be chosen for the FSW program based on the Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) of the candidate.
Your CRS score is determined by a number of variables, such as your age, education, employment history, language proficiency, and others. If you have a Canadian job offer, a nomination from a province (see the PNP section below), Canadian work experience, or Canadian academic credentials, you will receive more points.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)
All Canadian provinces and territories, with the exception of Quebec and Nunavut, have Provincial Nominee Programs that enable them to nominate individuals who have the skills and traits necessary to fill labor shortages.
According on CRS results, candidates are chosen for Express Entry PNP streams. To meet pressing market demands, other PNP streams enable provinces to nominate talented individuals in certain professions or NOC codes. You might have a better chance of receiving a provincial nomination from a province in need of nurses with the necessary training.
Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP)
The Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP) permits the government of Quebec to accept candidates who possess the required skills, education, experience, and language proficiency to work and settle in the province.
Candidates may submit an Expression of Interest for any occupation under the RSWP. Age, proficiency in both French and English, years of experience, education, and other factors are taken into consideration while making a decision. If selected, you will receive a Certificate (also known as a Certificat de sélection du Québec or CSQ) and be allowed to submit an application to the IRCC for permanent residency.
There may be entry-level licenses available for nursing students or recent graduates, and the names of these licenses may vary depending on the province you apply
How to Obtain a Nursing License in Canada as a Foreign-Trained Nurse
You must apply for the proper nursing license after being found eligible. You must register with your provincial regulator, present the required paperwork, and pay a license fee after getting a report from the National Nursing Assessment Service. Notwithstanding the fact that provincial/territorial licensing laws differ
Register as a nurse in your province by submitting an application
Most provinces enable online licensing and registration applications to be submitted from outside of Canada. The entire procedure, which includes the NNAS application, might take up to 18 months. Start the process as soon as you can so that you can start working as a nurse as soon as you get to Canada.
After submitting your NNAS application, get in touch with your province’s or territory’s regulatory body and ask them to review your application for a nursing license. Once the regulator has received your NNAS dossier, the process won’t start. At this point, you are required to pay an initial application cost, which varies by province and nursing category.
How much do nurses earn in Canada?
The average pay for nurses in Canada differs by province, field of expertise, and years of experience. According to the Government of Canada’s Job Bank, the median pay for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in Canada is $40/hour, with the highest median wages occurring in Nunavut ($67.83/hour), the Northwest Territories ($53.23/hour), Yukon ($45.28/hour), and Saskatchewan ($44.23/hour). In regions of British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, and Manitoba where there is a severe scarcity of registered nurses, hourly earnings of over $50 are common.
While licensed practical nurses may make between $22 and $33.23 per hour, nurse practitioners make an average of $53.37 per hour in Canada.
How to Look for Nursing Jobs in Canada
You can start looking for your first nursing job in Canada before you arrive because the majority of provinces allow you to complete the nursing certification process from outside of Canada. You can use the following advice to discover the ideal job:
Learn about the local employment market requirements.
It’s possible that Canadian employers have different standards for nurses’ skills and credentials than those in your own nation. The quickest and easiest way to identify skill gaps and potential career options is to review job listings in your field of nursing. For instance, some job descriptions may state that candidates must hold particular credentials or training in order to work in a certain area of specialization. These might be great places to get started while you get ready for the job market.
Acquire new qualifications and skills.
To make yourself a strong candidate for nursing employment in Canada, you might want to invest in further training and skill-development courses. Before getting your RN/LPN license, you can get some well-known qualifications, including basic life support, CPR, and first aid.
Tip: Prior to receiving your nursing license, you might be able to find employment in Canada in closely similar unregulated professions like personal support worker, caregiver, or attendant. You should include this Canadian experience on your CV.
Create a nursing resume in the Canadian style.
The resume formats used in your home country might not be acceptable on the Canadian job market. Your level of clinical nursing experience will decide the optimal format for your resume. ATSs are commonly used in Canada to screen applications, thus it’s important to customize your CV for each position and add relevant terms from the job description. To get started, download one of our free Canadian-style resume templates.
Investigate job-search websites and employer websites.
Websites to search for jobs include Job Bank, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Monster, GrabJobs, and Indeed. Moreover, compile a list of healthcare facilities, non-profits, and hospitals that employ nurses and keep a watch on their career pages online.
Increase your professional network.
For nurses in Canada, networking is crucial. Using LinkedIn or professional associations, make connections with nurses and other healthcare workers in your province. Then, through one-on-one coffee meetings, establish long-lasting relationships. Volunteering is a fantastic way to meet local healthcare professionals. Through networking, you can gain access to job opportunities that may not be made publicly known as well as learn about certain companies’ hiring practices and the licensing process.
The nursing job recruitment procedure in Canada
Candidates are chosen for nursing interviews in Canada based on their resumes and cover letters. Nonetheless, a lot of healthcare businesses hire new employees by advertising the position or getting recommendations from their network. Several organizations hold open interview days where qualified nursing candidates can simply show up.
At the initial round, the recruiter will frequently conduct a screening interview to learn more about your qualifications, nursing interests, and patient care philosophy. If selected, you will go through many rounds of interviews, including one to assess your cultural fit and soft skills.
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