How to become a registered nurse in Canada as an international nurse (2026)

Canada has no single national nursing licence. Nursing regulation is a provincial responsibility, and each province or territory has its own regulator (NNAS). You apply to the regulator in the province where you want to work.

This guide covers the national assessment service (NNAS) and the three largest English-speaking provinces: Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. Fees and scores were checked in October 2026. Check the linked pages again before you pay.

This guide does not cover Quebec. Quebec has its own regulator, and nursing there works mainly in French.

The parts that are the same everywhere

• The NCLEX-RN exam. The NCLEX-RN is the registration exam for anyone in Canada, except Quebec, who applies to become a registered nurse (CNO). In Canada it costs CAD 360 plus local taxes. From 1 February 2027 it will cost CAD 570 (NCLEX). See our NCLEX-RN guide.
• English. You must prove your English with a test or other evidence. Each province sets its own scores (see the table below).
• Work rights. Registration does not give you the right to work in Canada. You also need immigration status.

NNAS: the national credential check

The National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) calls itself “the first step towards becoming a nurse in Canada” for internationally educated nurses (NNAS). It checks your documents and writes an Advisory Report. You then send that report to a provincial regulator.

You can apply to NNAS if you completed post-secondary nursing education outside Canada and have never been licensed in Canada in the same profession. For the Expedited Service, you must also have been licensed as a nurse outside Canada.

How the Expedited Service works

NNAS lists four steps (NNAS Expedited Service):

1. Create an account and agree to the terms.
2. Complete the application and pay.
3. Send documents. You send two forms of notarised ID yourself. A course-by-course assessment report comes from an organisation approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Your first and current nursing licences are confirmed by the bodies that issued them.
4. Get your Advisory Report. It is issued within five business days after NNAS has all your documents, if nothing needs clarifying.

You have 12 months to send all documents.

NNAS fees (checked October 2026)

Source: NNAS fees.

These registered nurse regulators take part in the Expedited Service: Ontario (CNO), British Columbia (BCCNM), Alberta (CRNA), Saskatchewan (CRNS), Manitoba (CRNM), New Brunswick (CNNB), Nova Scotia (NSNMR), Prince Edward Island (PEICNM) and Newfoundland and Labrador (NLCN) (NNAS).

Taking part does not mean every province requires NNAS. Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta also accept other routes, as shown below.

Ontario: College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO)

Education check

To start, an approved credential assessment provider must check your education. CNO lists World Education Services (WES), International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) and International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES) at BCIT. CNO also still accepts NNAS Expedited reports (CNO).

For a registered nurse (RN) application, you need a baccalaureate nursing degree. A nursing diploma does not meet the RN education rule, even if it lets you work as an RN at home. You may be able to apply as a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) instead (CNO).

What CNO asks for

CNO lists these requirements for nurses educated outside Canada (CNO):

• Nursing education that meets the rule above.
• Evidence of practice as a nurse in the past three years.
• The NCLEX-RN. CNO tells you when you can register for it.
• Transition to practice. If you do not meet it, you may need an approved course.
• The online jurisprudence exam on Ontario law and rules.
• English or French proficiency.
• Citizenship, permanent residence or authorisation to practise nursing in Ontario.
• A police criminal record check and declarations about past offences and health.

You must complete the application yourself. CNO warns that you should never share your login details with an agent, consultant or NCLEX prep service. You have two years from when CNO receives your application and fee to meet all requirements.

Temporary Class

You can work under limits in the Temporary Class while you finish some requirements. You need an open General Class application and an RN job offer from an approved Ontario employer, among other conditions. If you fail the registration exam two or more times, you cannot use it (CNO).

CNO fees in 2026 (checked October 2026)

All CNO fees are subject to 13% HST. Credential assessment and NCLEX fees are paid to those providers (CNO fees). CNO also says the Ontario government is temporarily paying General and Temporary Class registration costs. You request this through Ontario Health.

British Columbia: BCCNM and Inspire

The BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) has separate instructions for nurses educated in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and for those educated in the United States. Nurses from all other countries follow these steps (BCCNM):

1. Apply to Inspire Global Assessments (Inspire). Inspire checks your identity, English, education and nursing skills through a competency assessment. At the same time, apply to BCCNM.
2. BCCNM confirms your practice and licences with your employers and regulators.
3. BCCNM decides whether your education and practice are substantially equivalent.
4. You will likely need some extra education. It can be one course or a full re-entry programme.
5. You sit the NCLEX-RN. BCCNM says every internationally educated nurse who has never held practising registration in Canada must take it (BCCNM exam page). You can get provisional registration before the exam if you have met everything else.
6. You get your practising licence after you pass.

BCCNM assesses most nurses for both RN and licensed practical nurse (LPN) at the same time. You can work as an LPN while you finish the RN steps. BCCNM says you are more likely to succeed if you finished your nursing programme or practised consistently in the last 10 years.

When BC launched this process in January 2023, it said most decisions would come within 4 to 9 months. NNAS reports are accepted but not required (BCCNM, 2023).

Fees (checked October 2026): the international RN application assessment is CAD 690 plus GST. The practising RN fee for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 is CAD 781.10 (BCCNM fees). BCCNM says most fees can be paid back through the Internationally Educated Nurse Bursary Program.

Warning: BCCNM warns about agencies that offer to complete BCCNM and Inspire applications for a fee. They are not endorsed, and you must submit your own application.

BCCNM strongly recommends that you have the permits to work in Canada before you apply.

Alberta: College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA)

In Alberta, you start with the CRNA’s online “Pathways to a Permit” tool. It recommends a route for your situation (CRNA).

All routes need the NCLEX-RN. To confirm your competence, you can use one of these (CRNA):

• You already passed the NCLEX-RN. Add an NNAS Advisory Report or a credential assessment from an approved service.
• You have a credential assessment or NNAS report. You can then ask to write the NCLEX-RN. You do not need current registration.

If neither fits, the CRNA suggests you ask it for a consultation about your pathway.

The CRNA’s five steps are: create an account, confirm competency, show eligibility (currency of practice, English, education, criminal record check, character and fitness), prepare for practice in Alberta (jurisprudence and other required courses, plus liability protection), and pay (CRNA). The CRNA website also lists bursaries for internationally educated nurses.

English in Alberta. The CRNA accepts only two tests: CELBAN and IELTS Academic. Results expire two years after the test. Other evidence also counts. A nursing programme of at least two years, taught in English, counts at any time if it was in Canada, or within the past five years if it was outside Canada. At least 250 hours of nursing practice where care is given in English, within the past five years, also counts. The NCLEX-RN does not count as English evidence (CRNA).

English test scores by province

Minimum scores for registered nurses (checked October 2026):

L = listening, R = reading, W = writing, S = speaking. Sources: CNO, BCCNM, CRNA.

In Ontario, you must reach every score in one full test attempt, but CNO accepts the IELTS One Skill Retake. All three regulators also accept some non-test evidence, such as recent nursing education or practice in English. See our OET vs IELTS guide.

Immigration: Express Entry healthcare category

Express Entry is Canada’s main system for skilled workers who want permanent residence. In 2026, one of its categories is “Healthcare and social services occupations” (IRCC). It includes:

• registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 31301)
• nursing coordinators and supervisors (NOC 31300)
• nurse practitioners (NOC 31302)
• licensed practical nurses (NOC 32101)
• nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 33102)

To qualify for this category, you need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part time) in a listed occupation within the past 3 years. The work can be in Canada or abroad, and it does not need to be continuous. You must also meet the minimum Express Entry rules, including eligibility for one of its 3 programmes.

Being in a category does not guarantee an invitation. IRCC says it may not hold a category round if enough top-ranking candidates are invited through other rounds.

Where to find jobs

On this board, every job links to the employer’s own careers page. See jobs in Canada and jobs with visa sponsorship. Do not pay anyone to “fast-track” a registration. Read our guide to ethical recruitment and scams.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need NNAS to become a nurse in Canada?

It depends on the province. NNAS writes an Advisory Report that many regulators use. But Ontario also accepts credential assessments from WES, ICAS or ICES. British Columbia accepts NNAS reports but does not require them. Alberta accepts an NNAS report or a credential assessment from an approved service.

How much does NNAS cost?

The NNAS Expedited Service costs CAD 750 (USD 525) for one RN and LPN application. Sending the report to extra regulators costs nothing. Reactivating an expired application costs CAD 240, translation is CAD 115 per page, and an appeal is CAD 500. Prices were checked in October 2026.

Is the NCLEX-RN required in every Canadian province?

The NCLEX-RN is the registration exam for registered nurse applicants everywhere in Canada except Quebec. In Canada it costs CAD 360 plus local taxes, rising to CAD 570 on 1 February 2027. Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta all require it before you get a full licence.

Does Alberta accept OET for nurses?

No. The College of Registered Nurses of Alberta accepts only CELBAN and IELTS Academic as language tests. Results expire two years after the test. You can also qualify through a nursing programme taught in English, or 250 hours of nursing practice where care is given in English, within set time limits.

Can international nurses use Express Entry?

Yes, if they qualify. The 2026 healthcare and social services category includes registered nurses (NOC 31301). You need 12 months of full-time work, or the same part time, in a listed occupation within 3 years. The work can be abroad. An invitation is not guaranteed.

Related

• NCLEX-RN guide for international nurses
• OET vs IELTS for nurses
• How to become a nurse in Australia
• US nursing jobs for international nurses
• Ethical nurse recruitment and how to avoid scams