To ensure fairness and equitable treatment of all applicants, every application is assessed individually.

As a result, the time required to complete the assessment process can vary from one applicant to the next.

CNO is committed to processing your application as quickly as possible. To help facilitate this, we ask you to submit information requested by us in a timely way. The longer it takes for you to submit information, the longer the process will take

CNO makes every effort to acknowledge all written correspondence from applicants within 15 days. If the request is one that cannot be addressed within those 15 days, then we will acknowledge receipt of the request and provide information about next steps.

The assessment/registration process

Initial Application

Language Proficiency

Other Registration Requirements

Factors that may delay an applicant’s registration include:

  • graduation from a nursing or practical nursing program that doesn’t meet entry-to-practice competencies
  • lack of evidence the applicant has practised nursing or graduated from a nursing program within the past three years
  • lack of evidence the candidate demonstrates language proficiency in either English or French 
  • submission of official documents in languages other than English or French. For more information, see Translation of Documents
  • unsuccessful completion of the national registration exam
  • information provided to CNO that would require further assessment to ensure that applicants have the knowledge, skill and judgement to practice nursing safely and competently.
  • failure to provide documents requested by CNO in a timely manner.