to study nursing in canada
What degree do you need?
So, you’ve decided that you want to study nursing in Canada. But what degree do you need? What degree is the best one to get if you want to go into nursing in Canada?
The short answer is: it depends on what type of nurse you want to be. In order to practice as a nurse in Canada, you must meet the requirements set by your province or territory’s regulatory body. Some provinces have different requirements depending on the type of nurse you’d like to be (e.g., registered nurse [RN], licensed practical nurse [LPN], etc).
The application process.
Want to study nursing in Canada? The application process varies from university to university, but here are some common questions you might have about the application process.
- What are the required documents to send?
You will need your high school diploma or an equivalent certification such as GED or TOEFL score. Educational documents should be sent in advance, and must be translated into English by a certified translator. You will also need a certificate of acceptance into the program you choose at the institution you apply for.
- How long does the application process take?
The length of time it takes to complete each step depends on your situation and which country you’re applying from. The average processing time can range from 6 months to 2 years, including preparation and application procedures with embassy interviews and visa approvals.
- What is the cost of the application?
It’s free to apply for Canadian citizenship online, but there are fees associated with each step of the process, including translation fees (if needed), medical exam fees, transportation costs, etc. It’s best to contact your preferred institution directly for their exact costs.
Career opportunities in Canada
You have a wide range of career options. You can work in hospitals, clinics, home health care, public health departments or academic institutions such as universities and colleges. Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) has classified nurses into several categories:
Registered nurse (RN): The main role of an RN is to assess patient’s health condition and provide care based on the diagnosis. These are entry-level positions for new graduates who intend to study nursing in Canada.
Nurse practitioner (NP): NPs have more complex responsibilities than RNs as they can prescribe medications and order diagnostic tests apart from providing primary care treatments. They have at least six years of experience in nursing field; four years of undergraduate degree followed by two years of postgraduate education. Currently they are paid $72,000 to $87,000 depending on their experience level and specialties.
Clinical nurse specialist (CNS): They provide expert nursing services mainly through consultations or direct clinical practice or both with some specific focus such as surgical patients or elderly people with chronic illness etc. They require at least five years of postgraduate education with a master’s degree in nursing before starting their job duties. Their salary ranges from $60,000 to $122,000 depending on the employer and location where they work
Nurse administrator: Nurse administrators manage all operations related to nurses including planning budgets for staff salaries, staffing plans for various shifts, scheduling meetings etc. Nurse administrator is a mid-level position which requires posting graduate education along with clinical experience as registered nurse
Work Visas.
- Get a valid passport. The first step is to get a passport that has six months of validity beyond your proposed period of stay in Canada.
- Apply for a visa. You can apply online or through VFS Global. It can take three weeks or more to process your application, so make sure you apply early enough to be safe.
- Get your passport stamped at the airport. When you arrive in Canada, an immigration officer will decide how long you can stay in the country (usually up to six months). They’ll also stamp your passport with an arrival date and expiration date – so make sure you keep it safe!
- If necessary, extend your visa. If you need to remain in Canada for longer than six months but less than one year, submit an extension request at least 30 days before the expiration date on your entry stamp (or the end of your visa-free stay if there’s no stamp).
Cost of living in Canada.
The Cost of Living in Canada
The cost of living for international students is generally cheaper than in other countries like US, UK or Australia. Most students will spend between CA$20,000 and CA$30,000 per year to cover accommodation, food and other expenses.An average student spends around CA$8,500 per year on housing costs (rent and utilities).On a tight budget you can expect to live at about CA$15,000 per year.
The best way to study nursing in Canada is to get a nursing degree and then get it recognized by the Canadian regulatory body.
- The first step is to get a nursing degree. You may want to consider taking the required courses at a Canadian institution if possible.
- Then, you need to have your nursing degree recognized by the Canadian regulatory body in the province where you want to work. Each Canadian province has its own regulatory body for nurses and nurse practitioners.
- Next, you’ll need to apply for a work visa or permit. In most cases, you will be applying for a permanent resident visa or an immigration visa. You can find out more about working in Canada as an immigrant here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/apply-who-instructions/eligibility_credentials_assessments.html
- Finally, once you have obtained a work visa or permit, you are ready to begin looking for a job! The College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia has created this helpful toolkit that contains tips on how to find employment opportunities in BC: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/health/about-bcasahs/office-of-the-provincial> health officer / mental health and substance use / population strategy / rural health strategy / bc mental health and substance use services plan (pdf)