Notice: This was printed from the College of Nurses of Ontario Web site on 6/19/2013. This information may have changed since that time. Visit http://www.cno.org for the latest information.
Welcome to the College of Nurses’ Registration Guide for Internationally Educated Nurses.
This guide is intended for nurses who received their nursing education outside of Canada and are not currently registered to practise nursing in Canada. If you are a recent graduate of or about to graduate from an Ontario nursing program, or are registered as a nurse in another Canadian province or territory, then consult the guide that best addresses your situation.
Here, internationally educated nurses can find practical information and resources about the nursing profession in Ontario, as well as the requirements for becoming a Registered Nurse or Registered Practical Nurse in Ontario.
The information provided is for guidance only. In order to apply for registration, you must contact the College of Nurses of Ontario to request an application package.
This guide breaks down the registration process, emphasizing the seven requirements that all nurses must meet. While navigating through the guide, click on the information that best describes your circumstances and interests.
Some pages contain links to related information on external websites. To return to this site, simply close or exit from that window, or use the "Back" button on your browser.
The College of Nurses of Ontario is the regulatory body for nursing in Ontario. It is not an academic institution or school.
In Ontario, self-regulation is a privilege granted to professions that have a proven ability to put the public interest first. It means the nursing profession governs itself, both collectively through the College and through the individual actions of its members.
The College’s role is to protect the public’s right to quality nursing services by providing leadership to the nursing profession. It does this by establishing requirements for becoming a Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Practical Nurse (RPN), or Nurse Practitioner (NP); establishing and enforcing the standards of practice; and managing quality assurance programs that help nurses maintain an acceptable level of competence throughout their careers.
Only those with a Certificate of Registration can practice as a nurse in Ontario or use the titles “nurse,” “Registered Nurse,” “Registered Practical Nurse” or “Nurse Practitioner” within the province. It is illegal for someone to be employed as a nurse or to use those titles in Ontario without a valid Certificate of Registration from the College.
In Ontario, nursing is one profession with two categories: Registered Nurses (RNs) and Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs).
Both RNs and RPNs study from the same body of nursing knowledge. RNs study for a longer period of time, allowing for greater depth and breadth of knowledge in clinical practice, decision-making, critical thinking, leadership, research and resource management. RPNs study for a shorter period of time, resulting in a more focused body of knowledge in the same areas.
In Ontario, all RN applicants require a baccalaureate degree from an approved Ontario nursing program or an equivalent in order to register. All RPN applicants must have a diploma from an approved Ontario practical nursing program or an equivalent.
Nursing is just one of many health professions in Ontario that are regulated by the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA). Nursing in Ontario is also regulated by the Nursing Act, 1991.
Each health profession has a scope of practice statement that describes what the profession does and the methods it uses. For nurses, it’s:
The practice of nursing is the promotion of health and the assessment of, the provision of care for, and the treatment of health conditions by supportive, preventive, therapeutic, palliative and rehabilitative means in order to attain or maintain optimal function.
Regulated health professionals are allowed to perform controlled acts, which are actions that are considered potentially harmful if performed by unqualified persons. The RHPA defines 13 controlled acts that can only be performed by a regulated health professional or under specific circumstances. Nurses are authorized to perform three of these acts:
Nurses may perform procedures within these controlled acts under the following two circumstances:
There are exemptions under which unregistered individuals may perform these acts:
Within the College, there are five classes of registration available to members: General, Temporary, Extended, Retired and Special Assignment.
This is the most common class of registration, and it is held for the majority of a member’s career in nursing. An annual membership fee is required to maintain a valid Certificate of Registration.
The Temporary Class is for individuals who have met all requirements for the General Class as a Registered Nurse (RN) or Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) except the successful completion of the national registration exam. Temporary registration is granted for a limited time period (no longer than six months) and restricts practice to a specific employment setting. Temporary Class members are eligible to join the General Class when they successfully complete the exam and meet all other requirements for registration.
Only RNs who have obtained advanced education and passed the Extended Class examination can join this class.
RN(EC)s, also known as Nurse Practitioners, have an expanded scope of practice in the areas of assessment, diagnoses, prescription of tests and treatments, and health promotion.
This is a short-term, non-renewable registration for individuals, usually from outside Canada, who have an appointment or assignment as an RN or RPN with an approved facility and who do not plan to stay in Ontario for more than one year. Individuals in this class can only practice within the scope of their appointment and only under defined terms, conditions or limits. Nurses from other jurisdictions who are brought in on an interim basis to assist during an emergency can also be registered as part of the Special Assignment Class.
The Retired Class is an option for Ontario nurses aged 65 or older who have permanently retired from nursing practice. This class allows members to use the title "Registered Nurse (Retired)" or "Registered Practical Nurse (Retired)" even though they are no longer in active practice.
Registration is a process that involves the applicant, the College and other official sources.
In cases where the applicant is an internationally educated nurse who wishes to practice in Ontario, the applicant is responsible for:
The College assesses all applications for registration. Its Registration Committee makes decisions about applicants who do not meet all of the registration requirements.
The College will:
Official sources are institutions that provide original or certified copies of the information used to evaluate your application. They include your schools, employers, nurse registration boards and language testing services. Occasionally, official sources may send incorrect or incomplete information. In some cases, no information exists. If this applies to you, then you and the College work together to obtain the documents and information required for your evaluation.
If the College receives copies of supporting documents (e.g., transcripts or verification letters) in a language other than English or French, then the applicant will be responsible for arranging the translation of those documents into either English or French before their application can be assessed. (More on the translation process)
All nurses who wish to practise as an RN or RPN in Ontario must hold a current General Certificate of Registration with the College. To obtain one, applicants must first meet seven requirements:
The following questions will give you a general idea of whether your academic qualifications will require upgrading before you are eligible to write the registration examination.
Please note that the College will provide an official assessment of your credentials and will contact you concerning the status of your application.
Are your official transcripts and supporting documents in a language other than English or French? If so, the College will send you a copy of these documents and you will have to arrange for a translated copy of your documents to be returned to the College. See Further Resources for information on translation services.
1. Did you complete a general nurse program? |
 |
 |
2. Will your nursing school send your student transcripts to the College? |
|
|
Please ask your education institution to send a course description, terminal objectives and outcomes directly to the College. We will review the documents and contact you regarding the next steps.
Please contact the College for further assistance.
There are two ways in which you can show proof of recent safe nursing practice.
If you are working as a nurse, the College will need a reference from your most recent employer verifying that you have worked a minimum of 1,125 hours in nursing within the previous five years at the time of registration.
Ask your employer to complete the Verification of Employment and Reference form that is included in your application package. Your employer must return the form to the College.
If you have not worked as a nurse, but you did graduate from an approved RN or RPN program within the last five years, then the College will accept verification of program completion as proof of recent practice.
If you have not worked in nursing in the last five years and you completed your nursing program more than five years ago, then you will be required to complete additional education. The length of the study required is based on the number of years that you have not practised.
If your proof of safe nursing practice expires before you pass the registration examination, you may still attempt the exam. However, after passing the exam, you will need to meet this requirement by successfully completing additional education.
You may be required to complete additional education in order to continue with the registration process. The following tables outline the required study to meet the practice requirement. The length of the study varies depending on the number of years that the applicant has not practised nursing.
Before enrolling in additional education, you must apply for registration and receive an assessment by the College, which will recommend what steps you should take to meet the requirements.
|
Required content elements |
5-10 years out of practice |
10-15 years out of practice |
More than 15 years out of practice or have never practised since completing a nursing program |
|
Cultural context |
X |
X |
X |
|
Computers |
X |
X |
X |
|
Technology |
X |
X |
X |
|
Pharmacology |
X |
X |
X |
|
Practice standards |
X |
X |
X |
|
Health assessment |
X |
X |
X |
|
Legal/ethical issues |
X |
X |
X |
|
Gerontology |
X |
X |
X |
|
Mental health |
|
X |
X |
|
Crisis Management |
|
X |
X |
|
Family-centred care |
|
X |
X |
|
Nursing research |
|
X |
X |
|
Nursing theory/ framework |
|
X |
X |
|
Leadership |
|
X |
X |
|
Advanced communication |
|
X |
X |
|
Community |
|
X |
X |
|
Clinical 200 hours |
X |
|
|
|
Clinical 400 hours |
|
X |
X |
|
Practicum/consolidation |
X |
X |
|
|
Practicum/consolidation practicum 300 hours |
|
|
X |
|
Required content elements |
5-10 years out of practice |
More than 10 years out of practice or have never practised since completing a nursing program |
|
Cultural context |
X |
X |
|
Computers |
X |
X |
|
Technology |
X |
X |
|
Pharmacology |
X |
X |
|
Practice standards |
X |
X |
|
Health assessment |
X |
X |
|
Legal/ethical issues |
X |
X |
|
Gerontology |
X |
X |
|
Family centred care (including growth and development across life span, impact of chronic illness/hospitalization on family) |
X |
X |
|
Nursing theory/framework |
X |
X |
|
Leadership |
X |
X |
|
Anatomy/physiology/pathophysiology |
X |
X |
|
Clinical 200 hours |
X |
|
|
Clinical 400 hours |
|
X |
|
Practicum/consolidation |
X |
X |
Please note that these are not necessarily the names of the courses. Schools of nursing can provide guidance regarding which courses include this content.
To become registered in Ontario, all applicants must pass either the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE) or the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE). These exams, which are designed to measure entry-level competencies, are a mandatory part of the registration process.
Dates and locations of upcoming examination sittings can be found in the Examination Schedule section of this website.
Applicants must also submit two fees to the College, one to cover the cost of processing the application and one to cover the cost of the examination. The assessment fee is non-refundable, but the examination administration fee can be fully or partially refunded depending on when the applicant notifies the College of their intent to withdraw.
Both the CRNE and the CPNRE are offered three times a year, and they can only be written within Canada. Requests to write the exam must be received by the College 90 days before the date of the examination sitting.
Your score on the exam will be reported as either “pass” or “fail.” If you pass, you will not receive feedback on your performance. If you fail, you will receive feedback showing how you performed in the different areas.
If you fail the examination, you will be required to rewrite the entire examination. Due to the time required to process examination results, it is unlikely that you would be able to write the next scheduled examination; however, you can apply to write at a later date.
Remember:
Have you already passed the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE) or Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE)? |
 |
 |
This is a requirement that must be completed by every applicant wishing to practise as a nurse in Ontario.
If you have not already attempted to write the exam, you have only three opportunities to write the exam. There is no time limit to complete the exam.
To increase your chances of passing, the College recommends you have good English or French language fluency and that you take an exam preparation course before attempting to write the exam. Consult the list of schools in our Further Resources section to learn more about these courses.
Fact Sheet: Preparing to Write the RN and RPN National Exam
Please note that you have the option to request special accommodation for the exam if you can demonstrate a physical or mental condition or disorder that would make it necessary for you to receive special consideration when writing the exam (e.g., extra time, a separate room or technological assistance). Consult our Examination FAQ for more information.
NOTE: The College is introducing changes to the language proficiency requirement for registration. Learn more about the new requirement and how it may affect your application at our special section on the revised Registration Regulation.
The ability to communicate in English or French is essential in providing safe and effective nursing care in Ontario. Before you can be registered as a nurse in Ontario, you must provide proof that you can read and speak in either English or French.
You meet the language fluency requirement if you completed your nursing program in English in one of the following countries:
| Antigua | Grenada | Singapore |
| Australia | Guyana | South Africa |
| Bahamas | Ireland | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Barbados | Jamaica | Uganda |
| Bermuda | Kenya | United Kingdom |
| Botswana | Malawi | United States |
| British Virgin Islands | Mauritius | Virgin Islands |
| Cameroon | New Zealand | Zambia |
| Canada | Nigeria | Zimbabwe |
| Cayman Islands | St. Kitts and Nevis | |
| Dominica | St. Lucia | |
| Ethiopia | St. Vincent | |
| Ghana | Seychelles |
You meet the language fluency requirement if you completed your nursing program in French in one of the following countries:
| Belgium | Guinea |
| Benin | Haiti |
| Burundi | Ivory Coast |
| Cameroon | Lebanon |
| Canada | Madagascar |
| Chad | Mali |
| Congo (formerly Zaire) | Martinique |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Morocco |
| Djibouti | Rwanda |
| France | Seychelles |
| French Guiana | Senegal |
| French Polynesia | Switzerland |
| Guadeloupe |
You meet the language fluency requirement if you are registered and have practised nursing in one of the following countries, where English or French is the official or predominate language, in the last five years:
| Antigua | French Guiana | South Africa |
| Australia | French Polynesia | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Bahamas | Guadeloupe | United Kingdom |
| Barbados | Guinea | United States |
| Benin | Guyana | Virgin Islands |
| Bermuda | Haiti | |
| Botswana | Ireland | |
| British Virgin Islands | Jamaica | |
| Cameroon | Martinique | |
| Canada | New Zealand | |
| Cayman Islands | Nigeria | |
| Chad | Senegal | |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) |
St. Kitts and Nevis | |
| Dominica | St. Lucia | |
| Djibouti | St. Vincent | |
| Ethiopia | Sierra Leone | |
| France | Seychelles |
The College will consider other education courses and programs completed in English or French on a case-by-case basis. Please submit an official transcript of the course and course description.
Written and spoken fluency in English or French can also be demonstrated by successfully completing one of several approved language fluency tests.
Have you met the language fluency requirement? |
 |
 |
NOTE: The College is introducing changes to the language proficiency requirement for registration that affect the list of tests acceptable by the College as evidence of language proficiency. The information below is for applicants who expect to have met all their registration requirements by Dec. 31.
Learn more about the new language proficiency requirement in our special section on the revised Registration Regulation.
Written fluency in English can be demonstrated by successfully completing one of the following:
Spoken fluency in English can be demonstrated by successfully completing any one of the following:
Fluency in French can be demonstrated by successfully completing the Test de français international (TFI) with a minimum overall score of 750.
If you have recently taken a language fluency test, please ask the testing service to send your results directly to the College. We will then evaluate your language credentials and confirm that you have met the language fluency requirements.
You must meet the language fluency requirements in order to practise nursing in Ontario.
There are many English as a Second Language (ESL) programs available in Ontario to help you improve your fluency. Local community agencies serving immigrants are good resources for these types of programs.
Creating Access to Regulated Employment for Nurses (CARE)
CARE for Nurses is an organization that helps internationally educated nurses gain the knowledge and experience to pass the registration exam and practise nursing safely and confidently in Ontario.
This government-funded site provides information and resources for newcomers to Ontario.
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
A registered charity governed by a volunteer board of directors, its membership is comprised of more than 150 community-based organizations throughout the province.
This agency helps immigrants and refugees settling in Canada achieve their employment goals.
The College requires all nurses to provide verification of registration or eligibility for registration in the jurisdiction (province, territory or country) in which an applicant was educated and/or originally registered as a nurse or is eligible to be registered, licensed or certified.
All students who have completed a nursing program at an approved Ontario institution are automatically considered to have met this requirement.
Applicants who graduated from an Ontario nursing program and have practised outside the province must show verification of registration for all jurisdictions in which they were registered.
Answer these questions to determine if you have met this requirement.
You have indicated that you were or are registered in the jurisdiction in which you completed your nursing program.
The College will send you a request to provide verification from the registration/licensing body in the jurisdiction in which you were/are registered. When you receive the request, please complete Section 1 of the enclosed form and send it to the registration/licensing body with which you were/are registered.
The form should then be returned directly by the registration/licensing body to the College of Nurses of Ontario. Forms sent directly to the College from the applicant will not be considered.
You have indicated that there is a registration or licensing board in the jurisdiction where you completed your nursing program, but that you have not been registered.
We will require confirmation from the nursing board that you have completed an approved nursing program.
The College will send you a request to provide verification from the registration/licensing body in the jurisdiction in which you were/are registered. When you receive the request, please complete Section 1 of the enclosed form and send the form to the registration/licensing body in the jurisdiction in which you completed your studies.
The form should then be returned directly by the registration/licensing body to the College of Nurses of Ontario. Forms sent directly by the applicant will not be considered.
You have indicated that there is no registration or licensing board in the jurisdiction in which you completed your nursing program.
The College will waive the original registration requirement for applicants who completed their nursing programs in countries where there is no registration/licensing body.
All nurses registered in Ontario must show proof they are eligible to work in Canada. As an Internationally Educated Nurse, you are required to provide proof of your Canadian citizenship, permanent residency documents or authorization under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) to work as a nurse in Canada.
For information about immigration, visas or working and studying in Ontario, please contact the Canadian consulate in your country or Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Please note the College does not provide information or assistance with immigration.
Answer this question to determine if you have met this requirement.
Are you a Canadian Citizen, a holder of a Permanent Resident card or authorized under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) to practise as a nurse in Canada?
If you answered “yes”, then you will need to provide proof of your current status by attaching one of the following to your application:
If you answered “No”, then please contact the College.
Please note that nurses with work permits to practise nursing in Ontario will be referred to the College’s Registration Committee for review.
As part of the registration process, you must complete a Declaration of Registration Requirements, which will be included with your application package. These questions will speak to your suitability and fitness to practise as a nurse. Your registration may be denied if you fail to report relevant information about these requirements.
Please note that you must also report immediately any changes (e.g., criminal convictions, disciplinary action, physical or mental conditions/illness) that occur after the date of your application.
1. Have you ever been denied registration or licensure by a registration/licensing authority for nursing (RPN/RN) in any province, territory, state or country? |
 |
 |
2. Are you currently under investigation or involved in any proceedings which could result in the encumbrance of your registration/licensure by a registration/licensing authority for nursing or another health profession in Ontario or in another province, territory, state or country? |
|
|
3. Have you ever had your registration revoked, suspended, surrendered, restricted, or subjected to individual terms and conditions by a registration/licensing authority or another health profession in Ontario or in another province, territory or country? |
|
|
4. Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence? (For an explanation of what constitutes a criminal offence, refer to our Declaration of Registration Requirements fact sheet.) |
|
|
5. Have you ever been found guilty of an offence under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) or the Food and Drug Act (Canada)? |
|
|
6. Have you ever been, or are you currently, affected by a physical or mental condition or disorder that could affect your ability to practise nursing? (Note: it is not necessary that your condition or disorder be currently affecting your practice in order for you to have a reporting obligation.) |
|
|
The College’s regulations also require that all applicants for registration provide a recent Canadian Police Information Centre Criminal Record Synopsis (or “CPIC check”) as part of the registration process.
Fact sheet: Canadian Criminal Record Synopsis
A CPIC check is another way in which the College ensures public protection by identifying those individuals with criminal records and reviewing their applications on a case-by-case basis to determine whether their records could affect their suitability to practise nursing.
Please note that a CPIC check is not required to write the exam or to request an application package. You are only required to submit a CPIC check with your application for Temporary Class or General Class registration.
If you have been living in Canada for any length of time, you will be required to submit a CPIC check, regardless of how long you have resided here.
The College will contact you regarding what additional information it may require before it can proceed with your application.
Please note that you may be referred to the Registration Committee for review, which may delay the processing of your application.
For international applicants, the road to registration with the College begins when the applicant makes the first step by requesting an application package. This package contains forms and important information about our assessment and registration processes.
The formal process of assessment begins when the College receives the following from the applicant:
Once the College receives this information, it will send a letter to the applicant within 20 weeks. This status letter will acknowledge receipt of your application and outline any further requirements necessary to assess your application.
In order to ensure fairness and equitable treatment of all applicants, each application is assessed individually. As a result, the time required to complete the assessment process can vary significantly from applicant to applicant.
Once the College has informed an applicant of the status of their application, it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the timely delivery of all documentation requested by the College.
Factors that may delay an internationally educated candidate’s registration include:
Only when all requirements for registration, including successful completion of the registration examination, have been satisfied will a candidate then be eligible to receive a Certificate of Registration from the College and eligible to begin practising in Ontario.
When all registration requirements have been met, the College will then send an Initial Registration application form and a request for payment. Both the completed form and payment must be received by the College before a Certificate of Registration can be issued. Once these have been received, the initial registration process will be completed within 15 business days.
|
Applicant contacts College to request assessment |
N/A |
|
College acknowledges receipt of application; informs applicants of registration requirements |
Up to 20 weeks |
|
Candidate completes all registration requirements |
Variable; depends on requirements, availability of information, timing of registration examination, etc. |
|
College confirms candidate has met all requirements; sends initial registration form |
Variable |
|
College receives completed initial registration form and fees; candidate is registered to practise in Ontario |
Up to 15 business days from the moment the College receives completed form and registration fees |
It is extremely important to note the College cannot fast track applications from individuals who have secured nursing positions in Ontario. We strongly recommend you do not commit to an employment start date until you receive information from the College indicating you have met the requirements to become a registered member.
The application package sent to applicants contains a set of application forms and a verification form. Complete and sign the application forms and return them to the College with the appropriate non-refundable application fee in Canadian funds.
The verification form requests official verification of your nursing credentials. You complete and sign Section 1 of the verification form. Your official source (i.e., nursing school) must then complete Section 2 and return the form directly to the College.
You may receive additional verification forms depending on the outcome of the College’s initial assessment. Please note that the number of verification forms you receive with your application will depend on the information you provide the College.
Do not send completed verification forms back to the College. Verification forms that are sent to the College by the applicant will be returned. The College will only accept documents that come directly from an official source. The verification forms must include the official seal or stamp from the institution and the signature of the official who completed the form, and they must be mailed directly to the College in an envelope with the letterhead, seal or stamp of the institution. Incomplete forms will be returned to the official source for further verification.
There are three fees to complete the registration process: an application fee that begins the process, an examination fee that covers the costs of administering the exam, and a registration fee that confirms your entry into the College as a member in good standing.
A complete list of all registration-related fees can be found in the College’s Fees directory. Each fee should be accompanied by the appropriate application or registration forms. Do not send all fees at once or without the appropriate form.
Aside from the fees mentioned above, there may be other fees involved in your application that are not payable to the College:
All applications for registration are confidential. Information about your application will be given only to you unless you provide written permission to release the information to a third party (i.e., an employer, spouse, agency or attorney). To release information to a third party, you must send us a written and signed letter of permission or complete the Authorization to Release Information Form.
Correspondence and completed forms may be faxed to the College; however, we require original documents before we can complete your assessment. Documents will be returned upon written request.
