Notice
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Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN)


 NOTICE
The College reminds all applicants that you must complete your application by yourself. Using a third party* in the application submission process is not allowed. (example: a recruitment company, or an immigration consultant.)

Having someone else submit your application – or answer the questions on your behalf – is considered dishonest and could impact your eligibility for licensure with the College.

Reminder: Do not share your login information or password with anyone.

If you cannot log in to your member portal account, please email registration@crnnl.ca
 

You can apply as an IEN if:

•               You were educated at the Registered Nurse (RN) level and completed your entry-level education program outside of Canada.

                  and

•               You do not hold RN registration in another Canadian province/territory. 

If you were educated as a practical nurse, midwife, or specialty nurse, but not at the RN level, you are ineligible.

Note: Individuals who completed a psychiatric/mental health nursing program outside Canada may be eligible for licensure as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) but must obtain an RPN licence in another Canadian province first before applying to CRNNL for RPN licensure.  

The College will assess your application under one of the following pathways: 

  • Designated countries pathway
    • If you completed your entry-level nursing education in Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, UK or USA you meet the education requirement for registration. 
  • General pathway
    • If you completed your entry-level nursing education outside one of the designated countries, you will require further competence (Inspire Global) assessment to determine if your education meets the requirements for registration. 

You are encouraged to review the College’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Fact Sheet for additional information on our pathways.

To begin your application, you must create an account in the College’s member portal. Some documents can be uploaded directly to your application and others will need to be sent to the College directly. The application processing fee ($172.50) must be paid, and all required documents must be received before your file can be reviewed. 

Required documents

You are required to provide the following documents: 

a. Two (2) government issued identification documents. Eligible documents include:

  • Passport
  • Driver’s Licence
  • Birth certificate
  • Permanent resident card
  • Citizenship card
  • Immigration card

b. Change of Name documentation (if applicable) such as marriage certificate and/or legal change of name document. 

c. A current Criminal Record Check (CRC) (less than six (6) months old). Please see the CRC Factsheet for additional information. 

d. A Verification of Registration document will be required from the licensing body (country/state/province) where you originally registered and from each place where you are currently registered or licenced to practice as a Registered Nurse.

• Note: The College can verify licensure online for some places, but others will require a document be sent from that licensing body directly to our College. 

e. Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
An ECA confirms that you graduated from an accredited nursing education program and determines the general academic level (diploma or degree) of the credential in Canada.

You can obtain the ECA from organizations approved by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada).  If you have already completed an ECA for immigration purposes, you can contact the ECA provider and request a copy be sent to the College. Please note that you may be required to upgrade your report to the Standard Version before it can be sent to the College. 

It is recommended that you have completed the ECA process before you apply to the College. The College will accept an ECA report one of the following organizations:

Note: IQAS cannot provide a copy of your transcripts with an ECA report. If you use IQAS, in addition to your ECA report, you must also request an official copy of your transcripts be sent directly to the College from your nursing education program(s).

Note: ICES cannot provide a copy of your transcripts with an ECA report. If you use ICES, in addition to your ECA report, you must also request an official copy of your transcripts be sent directly to the College from your nursing education program(s).

Please note that any associated costs are paid directly to the organization you choose and are not included in the College registration fees.

Other Requirements

You may also need to submit additional documentation to complete your application. The College will contact you if the following documents are required:

  1. English Language Proficiency (ELP)
    Review the College’s ELP Factsheet to know if you need to submit a test of ELP or not.
  2. NCLEX-RN Exam
    If you have already passed the NCLEX-RN exam, the College will notify you if further verification of your exam result is needed. The exam is one part of the registration process and having already passed the NCLEX-RN exam does not mean you are instantly eligible for a licence; your nursing education must also meet the requirements for registration.

    If you have not taken the NCLEX-RN exam yet, the College will let you know how to register for the exam after reviewing and approving your application.
  3. Nursing Employment History
    As part of your application, you will provide employment information for all your nursing employer(s) in the last five (5) years. 

    You will also declare if you have ever been suspended or terminated from any nursing employment. If you answer yes, you will need to provide a brief explanation. The College will let you know if additional information is needed.
  1. Practice Hours (Currency of Practice)
    You will self-report on the application the number of hours you worked as an RN over the last five (5) years. Currency of practice is set in legislation:
                      • graduated from entry-level nursing program in the last 3 years; or
                      • practiced as an RN for 1125 hours in the last 5 years OR 450 hours in the last 2 years; or
                      • completed an approved re-entry program in the last 5 years. 

    NOTE: For practice hours to be recognized you must have been licenced as an RN in the country/state/province where you worked the hours.

    Documentation of your hours from employer(s) is not generally required. However, the College may determine that verification of your hours is required.  If so, the College will let you know if you will need to request documentation.

Note: Translation of documents
Supporting documents that are in a language other than English must include an official translation of the original document, or a certified copy of the original document in English. That translation must be completed by a certified translator.

Click To Apply

NEXT STEPS

Once all the required documentation has been received by the College, your file will be sent for review. During the review your application may be returned to you for additional information or documentation. You will receive an email from the College that your application has been returned to you with feedback.  A complete application will be reviewed, and you will be provided with a decision within 15 business days.

 A complete application includes all required documentation, and any additional information requested. 

Based on a review of your nursing education and currency of practice hours there are several pathways to registration:

Meet Education Requirements and meet currency of practice (designated countries)

  1. Eligible for Registration (Practicing Licence)
    If you are eligible for registration, the College will let you know by email and direct you to the next steps to apply for a practicing licence.

    The annual licensure fee is $412.47 and the Professional Liability Protection fee ($78.20) must be paid directly to the Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS).
  2. Eligible for Provisional Registration (Interim Licence)
    If your application is approved but you have not taken the NCLEX-RN exam, the College will contact you by email with next steps on how to take the exam and apply for an interim licence.

    An interim licence is a time-limited (4 month) permit to practice nursing while finalizing your registration requirements. The Interim licence fee is $156.40 and the Professional Liability Protection fee ($78.20) must be paid directly to the Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS).

Meet Education Requirements but does not meet currency of practice (designated countries)

  1. You may be eligible for an interim licence to participate in the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership Program (SPEPP) with a Newfoundland and Labrador employer to gain currency of practice

    OR 
  2. You may be required to complete the IEN bridging/re-entry program.

Does Not Meet Education Requirements (general pathway)

If you were educated outside one of the designated countries, you will fall under this pathway and depending on the outcome of the review of your application the following options are available:

  1. Competency Based Assessment and bridging education
    • You will be required to complete a competency assessment using the Inspire Global Assessment. The assessment has two components (computer and in-person) and the outcome of the Inspire assessment will determine if you need further education (select courses or full bridging program) to address competency gaps before you are eligible for registration.
     
    There are fees associated with both the Inspire Assessment & bridging courses. 

    OR

    • You can choose to complete the full IEN bridging/re-entry program.

    After completing the Inspire Assessment and any identified education the College will let you know by email and direct you to the next steps to apply for an interim (temporary) licence and the next steps to take the NCLEX-RN exam (if you have not already passed the exam). If you don’t meet currency of practice you may be eligible for an interim licence to participate in the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership Program (SPEPP) with an Newfoundland and Labrador employer to gain currency of practice.

    Following the successful completion of NCLEX-RN and meeting currency of practice you may be deemed eligible for registration; the College will notify you by email and direct you to the next steps to apply for a practicing licence.

    The annual licensure fee is $412.47 and the Professional Liability Protection fee ($78.20) must be paid directly to the Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS).
  2. Missing Specific Content Areas
    • If you are missing specific content areas from your nursing program (e.g., pediatrics), you may be eligible for an interim licence with restrictions (IL-R) that will allow you to practice while you complete the required education.

    OR

    • Your application may be denied.

Does Not Meet Education Requirements and do not meet currency of practice (general pathway)

Additional information related to licensure