How to Immigrate to Canada as a Nurse

By Sam Moser October 27, 2012 2 min. read

Many areas of Canada are experiencing a nursing shortage, and this makes it easier to migrate to Canada as a nurse.

Part of the reason is due to the demographics of the Canadian population. Older nurses are retiring as they reach their fifties and sixties and there are not enough younger nurses being trained to replace them.

At the same time, an increasing portion of the population is entering the age group when they will require much more medical and nursing care.

Nurses Are Being Recruited in Other Countries to Come to Canada

One solution that Canada has been employing is to recruit trained nurses from other countries that can meet Canadian nursing standards. Canada is actively recruiting Registered Nurses from countries such as the Philippines to try to address this shortage.

Demand for nurses is expected to grow in coming years as the population becomes older. Nurses in Canada may work in a variety of settings including medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, and in private practice.

Canada Is Considered a Desirable Destination

Canada is considered to be a desirable country to live in because it offers a high standard of living, universal health care, and free education up to the end of the high school years. The society is very stable and the economy has performed well in comparison to other countries that were deeply affected by the economic collapse of 2008.

Emigrating To Canada as a Nurse is Complex

Although Canada is actively seeking immigrants from foreign countries to overcome specific shortages in the labour force, it can still be a long and difficult process for a foreign nurse to make an application to emigrate to Canada.

Any nurse who is interested in emigrating to Canada from another country will experience better results with the assistance of a reputable immigration lawyer who is familiar with all aspects of Canadian immigration law.

Each Province Sets Standards for Nurse Certification

The main obstacle that a foreign nurse is likely to face when wishing to emigrate to Canada is having his or her nursing credentials and certification recognized in Canada. Each province in Canada manages its own health care system and the qualifications for nurses may vary to some extent from one province to another.

Every province sets its own standards and it is important to check what the expectations will be in order to meet the standard required. Anyone who wishes to immigrate to Canada as a nurse will need to meet the standards required in the province in which he or she will be working.

An Immigration Lawyer Can Be Helpful

Migrating to Canada as a nurse and becoming a Permanent Resident will be more likely to succeed if you are helped by an immigration lawyer. An experienced immigration law firm like Niren and Associates can find the best way for a nurse from a foreign country to apply under one of the categories that each province has created in order to fill needed nursing positions more quickly.

Nurses trained in other countries will need to be certified in the province where they wish to work. Bridging programs for nurses moving to Canada are sometimes offered so nurses can meet the qualifications required without taking their entire courses all over again.

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