Planning to immigrate to Canada as a Nurse? Great move! Being one of the highly in-demand occupations in Canada, the Great White North offers a plethora of job opportunities for nurses. 

Canada has opened a number of work permit and immigration programs for nurses that will allow them to obtain their permanent residency status in Canada.  

Before we get into the process to immigrate to Canada as a Nurse in said programs – let us first look at the provinces that are currently in great need of nurses. 

Which provinces have a high demand for nurses?

• Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has a high rate of elderly – most of which are retiring and therefore creating a shortage in a number of occupations. One such is Nurses. Nova Scotia has always had a shortage of medical personnel, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. The current salary of a nurse in Nova Scotia is $69,031 per year.

• Manitoba

The need for nurses in Manitoba has doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic. Manitoba has plans to prioritize and speed up the application process for nurses in its workforce. The current salary of a nurse in Manitoba is $65,234 per year.

• New Brunswick 

New Brunswick is yet another great province to immigrate to Canada as a Nurse. Under its immigration programs, New Brunswick plans on opening jobs for 320 nurses every year for the next 5 years. The current salary of a nurse in New Brunswick is $89,120 per year.

• Ontario

Ontario is in a massive shortage of nurses, 17,000 to be precise. Ontario offers numerous pathways to fill the nurse occupation gap and match the RN-to-population ratio. Nurses are always mentioned on Ontario’s in-demand list. The current salary of a nurse in Ontario is $78,069 per year.

Best ways to immigrate to Canada as a Nurse 

1. Express Entry 

Canada’s renowned Express Entry is one of the easiest and quickest ways to immigrate to Canada as a Nurse. Applying and qualifying under the Express Entry program is a direct pathway to Canadian permanent residency. Nurses being a highly in-demand occupation – you can expect prioritized PR application processing. 

Express Entry is a point-based online system that overlooks three Federal High Skilled (FHS) programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trade Program (FSTP), and Canadian Experience Class (CEC). 

The Express Entry system will make use of the Canada PR points calculator to evaluate your profile based on certain human-capital and economic factors including Age, Education, Work Experience, Language Proficiency, Adaptability, and Spousal Sponsorship.

Canada PR applications under the Express Entry are processed within 8 and 12 months. 

2. Provincial Nominee Program 

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) of Canada allow the 13 provinces of Canada to nominate immigrants to work and settle in a particular province. Candidates are selected based on the economic and labor market needs of the province. 

If you plan to immigrate to Canada as a Nurse under a PNP, make sure you apply for a province that is in need of nurses or related in-demand occupations. There are several PNP streams that are designed to specifically target an occupation, including healthcare workers. 

You can either directly apply to the province – or choose an Express Entry linked PNP. 

Canada PR applications under most PNPs are processed within 15 and 19 months. 

Key requirements to immigrate to Canada as a Nurse

• Completion of a college or university nursing program that is equivalent to a 4-year bachelor’s degree, or a practical nursing degree.

• Completion of the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination) for those applying as a Registered Nurse, or the CPNRE (Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam) for those applying for a Registered Practical Nurse.

What is the NOC code for Nurses?

You can try applying for a Canada PR as a Nurse in one of the following two National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes:

• NOC 3012 – Skill Level A - Registered Nurses and Psychiatric Nurses.

• NOC 3233 – Skill Level B – Licensed Practical Nurses.  

Why immigrate to Canada as a Nurse?

Considering Canada’s new “Immigration Level Plans” – 139,700 new job opportunities are expected to open up by 2025. Finding a job in Canada as a Registered Nurse won’t be a challenge. 

Moving to Canada as a Nurse also brings in numerous benefits including a higher average salary of $65,000 per month, health insurance for you and your family, child care assistance, maternity leaves, and much more. 

Besides the fact that you will help support and sustain Canada’s economy – you will also be living in the most scenic, safe, and multicultural countries in the world.