Opening doors to international nurses

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Currently, it takes between two to six years for an internationally educated nurse to get registered and licenced to practice in BC. And that’s not the worst of it. There are more than a dozen regulatory agencies that an international nurse has to clear at a cost in the thousands. Now the province has announced a three-pronged approach to opening the doors for international nurses. The first prong is a streamlined assessment process.

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“Secondly, the costly part. Offering approximately nine million for English fees, test fees, assessment fees, and transitional education supports. It’s a significant investment. Nine million a year. That’s going to be for 1,500 per year. And thirdly, creating new nurse navigator positions to help international nurses navigate the assessment, licencing and employment processes.”

BC is producing more nurses than in any other Canadian jurisdiction, but pending retirements will fast outweigh any gains made on that front. That’s why the province plans to add 602 additional nurse teaching seats. Prince George is home to two nursing programs already but how those seats will be meted out is unknown. All of it good news for BC.

“This announcement today is a game-changer,” says Cynthia Johansen, the CEO for the BC College of Nurses and Midwives. “We are delighted and privileged to be a partner with the Ministry of Health, with BCNU, with Health Match British Columbia to make a difference in the lives of internationally-educated nurses who want to work as nursing professionals in our province.”

The triple-track registration process will be launched next month and further streamlining through the course of next year.