Canada is one of the most stable and safe countries in the world. With Canada’s robust healthcare system, all citizens, Permanent residents, and workers are entitled to get medical benefits.
There are many respectable professions in the world and one of them is the role of nurses. Nursing is recognized to be a skilled profession. In addition, the job comes in the list of the top 10 in-demand jobs in Canada.
Due to the onset of the pandemic in the year 2020, the country has seen a massive need for nurses.
Thus, to meet the labor shortage problem, the Canadian government has been introducing several programs to invite foreign nurses.
There are over 100 immigration programs for foreign nurses. Get to know which immigration pathways and programs are best for nurses along with the eligibility criteria. So, if you are looking for immigrating to Canada as a nurse, keep on reading about the profession in detail.
Nursing: NOC code and skill level
Under National Occupation Classification (NOC), nursing is mentioned under two categories.
- Registered and psychiatric nurses fall under NOC skill level A: Code NOC 3012
- Licensed practical nurses fall under NOC skill level B: Code 3222
Express Entry Programs for Nurses
Canada’s Express Entry immigration program is one of the fastest options for nurses. The system uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to evaluate the profiles of the candidates. High-scoring candidates shall receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Under this system, you can get permanent residency status in six months.
Express Entry is the application management system for three Canadian immigration programs: Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and Federal Skilled Trades Program(FSTP).
However, nurses are eligible only under CEC and FSWP express entry programs category.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
CEC is one of the most successful pathways for immigrants living and working in Canada. To qualify for permanent residency, the candidates;
- Must have a minimum experience of one year in the past 3-year record
- A CLB of 7 for the jobs placed under National Occupational Classification (NOC) A, and
- A CLB of 5 for the jobs falling under the NOC B category.
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
The program is an immigration route for applicants who have never worked or studied in Canada. To qualify under this program, the student;
- Must have regular experience as a skilled worker for a year
- A Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in either English or French
- at least one education qualification.
- Proof of funds
- Must have scored at least 67 points out of 100 on the FSWP scorecard.
Provincial Nominee Programs for Nurses
Canada plans to welcome 84,000 immigrants through Provincial nominee programs. There are two main programs for getting permanent resident status through the PNP system. The provinces can nominate foreign nurses through PNPs that are designed specifically for nurses. Here is the list of PNP pathways for nurses.
- British Columbia’s Skills Immigration and Express Entry Pathways
- Nova Scotia’s Labour Marker Priorities
- New Brunswick’s internationally educated Nurses Program pathway
- Ontario’s Human Capital Priorities Stream
- Saskatchewan’s recently introduced International Health Worker EOI pool
Article Tags: Canada Immigration Guide
