As part of the process for becoming a Registered Nurse in Ontario, an applicant must first successfully complete the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE). This national examination measures the competencies required of nurses at the beginning of their practice.

The Canadian Nurses Association develops and maintains the CRNE through its testing company, Assessment Strategies Inc., and in collaboration with provincial and territorial regulatory authorities, which administer the exam within their jurisdictions and determine writing eligibility.

The CRNE includes approximately 200 multiple choice questions and takes approximately four hours.

Important Dates & Deadlines

Ontario Examination Centres

Remember:

• When submitting your application, please provide a first and second choice of writing centres.
• Applicants will be entered into a writing centre on a first come, first served basis.
• Requests for transfer from one writing centre to another will be considered if received in writing by the Deadline to Apply date of the examination.
• Requests for writing the examination in another province should be submitted in writing together with your application by the Deadline to Apply date of the examination.
• Your application and examination fee must be received by the College of Nurses before or on the deadline specified, regardless of the postmark. We recommend that you allow at least five days for your mailed payment to reach us by the due date.

Special accommodations, refund policies, preparing for the exam, what happens when you show up to write the exam, and more...