If you received your nursing education outside of Canada and are trying to obtain your first nursing license in Canada, you are considered to be an Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN).

In order to work as a Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in British Columbia, you will need to obtain registration from the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).

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​BCCNM accepts nursing education and practice in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States as largely comparable to registered nursing practice in Canada. If you were educated in and/or are currently working in one of these countries, you may be able to get registered more quickly.

 BCCNM offers an expedited registration pathway for US registered nurses because:

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply through this expedited pathway, you must:
 

• Hold current registration/licensure to practise as an RN by a US licensing body; and 

• Have recent practice experience with a US employer.

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Create a BCCNM account (if you haven't already) and apply for practising registration​. US applicants do not need to apply to Inspire Global Assessments.

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While most applicants from the United States will not have to complete a competency assessment, we will require an assessment if:
 

• You have not practiced at least 1,125 hours in the last five years as an RN in the United States; OR

• You have not completed an approved US RN nursing program in the last five years.

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Apply for Immigration:

There is no requirement for applicants to have prior Canadian work experience. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their requirement for immigration support during the interview process. 

If approved as a provincial nominee, applicants will be able to apply for a work permit and permanent resident status in Canada. Upon receipt of a temporary work permit, applicants will be able to start work while waiting for their permanent residency application to be approved. 

BCCNM accepts nursing education and practice in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom as largely comparable to registered nursing practice in Canada, and as a result, you may be able to get registered more quickly.  

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Eligibility:

1. ​​You graduated from an approved registered nurse (RN) nursing program in Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom that led to your initial RN registration; AND

2. Within the last five years you graduated from that nursing program OR practiced 1,125 hours as a nurse (confirmed by your employer).

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Steps:

Apply to Inspire Global Assessments (Inspire). Inspire will confirm your identity and evaluate your English language proficiency, your education credentials, and if required, your nursing skills and knowledge through a competency assessment. Inspire will provide this information to BCCNM, and we will review it as part of our assessment.​

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Create a BCCNM account (if you haven't already) and apply for practising registration​.​

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BCCNM will review your application when all requirements are met and Inspire has sent us your applicant package. Your registration decision will be based on a holistic assessment of your application, including your education, nursing experience, and any gaps in practice.​You will be required to complete coursework to prepare you for the Canadian health system, transitional practice experience, and successfully pass the NCLEX-RN regulatory exam before you are eligible for practising registration.

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You will be eligible to write the NCLEX-RN, the RN regulatory exam, after you have been granted provisional registration. 

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Apply for Immigration:

There is no requirement for applicants to have prior Canadian work experience. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their requirement for immigration support during the interview process. 

If approved as a provincial nominee, applicants will be able to apply for a work permit and permanent resident status in Canada. Upon receipt of a temporary work permit, applicants will be able to start work while waiting for their permanent residency application to be approved.

There are four nursing professions in British Columbia: licensed practical nurses (LPNs), nurse practitioners (NPs), registered nurses (RNs) and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs). BCCNM automatically assesses most IENs for both RN and LPN registration. This means:
 

• After assessing your application, BCCNM will provide the steps you need to take to be eligible for RN or LPN registration.

• You can choose whether you want to enter the healthcare workforce as an LPN while completing the requirements for RN registration, without having to reapply.

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Steps:

Apply to Inspire Global Assessments (Inspire). Inspire will confirm your identity and evaluate your English language proficiency, your education credentials, and if required, your nursing skills and knowledge through a competency assessment. Inspire will provide this information to BCCNM, and we will review it as part of our assessment.​

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Create a BCCNM account (if you haven't already) and apply for practising registration​.​

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Once you have completed your education or coursework, we will send you instructions to register for the regulatory exam: REx-PN​ (LPNs) or NCLEX-RN (RNs).

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Apply for Immigration:

There is no requirement for applicants to have prior Canadian work experience. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their requirement for immigration support during the interview process. 

If approved as a provincial nominee, applicants will be able to apply for a work permit and permanent resident status in Canada. Upon receipt of a temporary work permit, applicants will be able to start work while waiting for their permanent residency application to be approved.

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Applicants can demonstrate proficiency by submitting evidence that must be no more than two years old. Evidence can include the following: 
 

• Successful completion in all four components (reading, listening, writing, and speaking) of either the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic.

You must take the NCLEX-RN if:

• You are a new graduate of a B.C. registered nursing program who wants to practice in B.C.

• You are a new graduate of a registered nursing program elsewhere in Canada who has​ never held practising registration, and want to practice in B.C.

• You are in internationally educated nurse who has never held practising registration in Canada and want to practice as an RN in B.C. 

• If directed by the Registration Committee or the Deputy Registrar of Registration, after considering the length of time since you first passed the exam and your practice experience​.

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You do not need to take the NCLEX-RN if:

• You are currently registered as a registered nurse (or equivalent) in another Canadian province and want to practice in B.C

1. You are registered with BCCNM and have received a permanent full-time job offer with a health authority in BC.

2. Connect with Health Match BC to initiate the BC PNP application process.

3. Apply for the BC PNP Health Authority category via the Skills Immigration or Express Entry pathways.

4. Receive your nomination.4. 

5. Apply for a work permit and permanent residency status.

6. Begin working when you receive your temporary work permit.

7. Obtain permanent residency status.

1. https://www.nursingcareerscanada.ca/

2. https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/

3. https://www.healthcarejobs.ca/

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1. https://www.cna-aiic.ca/

2. https://www.cano-acio.ca/

• https://www.nclex.com/prepare.page

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