3 Tips for Immigrating Nurses before arriving in Canada

Are you an Internationally Educated Nurse planning to immigrate to Canada?

The Pre-Arrival Supports and Services Program (PASS), funded by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada, is here to support your journey!

The PASS pre-arrival program is for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) who are still living outside of Canada and have been approved for permanent immigration to Canada.

Here are 3 PASS Program tips for Internationally Educated Nurses before arriving in Canada:

• Research and understand the Canadian nursing regulatory process: When you join the PASS pre-arrival program, your Case Manager will help you to familiarize yourself with the steps in the nursing assessment process and registration requirements in the province where you plan to settle. You should launch your assessment process far in advance of your arrival to Canada, as documentation submission and assessment can take some time. Every province has a timeframe in which you must either study or work as a nurse before your practice is considered out of date.  Keeping these safe practice timeframes in mind, it is also a good idea to work as close to your departure date as possible, maximizing the amount of time that you have to get through this process.

• Understanding Canadian nursing designations and scopes of practice: Review the nursing competencies in the province or territory where you will be living and working. While participating in PASS, you can explore and learn about diverse clinical settings, while familiarizing yourself with the Canadian nursing and healthcare culture.  Access opportunities to connect with mentors and nurse leaders pre-arrival, including through the PASS Program. Nurses in Canada have incredible opportunities to access a variety of roles in a broad array of settings, be they in hospitals, long-term care, community-based or home-care, research, education, research and, travel, etc. After you achieve your Canadian registration, “the world is your oyster!”

• Enhance language proficiency for registration and workforce integration: Along with meeting the English or French proficiency requirement for nursing registration in Canada, a high level of language fluency is necessary to understand Canadian communication norms and for successful integration into the health sector. Creating and maintaining an empathetic relationship that is required for interdisciplinary teamwork and patient-centred care involved cultural knowledge in these areas and a sophisticated use of language.

Achieve Your Goals with PASS

• Receive guidance, answers and encouragement from a dedicated Case Manager
• Understand the credentialing assessment process, Canadian healthcare system, and valuable educational and employment opportunities
• Connect with expert nurses in Canada through the PASS mentorship program, in partnership with the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA)