Working in Canada as an Australian Nurse

When looking into how to work in Canada as an Australian nurse, there are two separate processes you need to keep in mind: getting licensed to practise nursing in a Canadian province and getting an immigration status that lets you legally work here.

Key Takeaways

• Your Australian nursing registration is not valid in Canada. You need to obtain a provincial licence, which requires a credential assessment, coursework, and the NCLEX-RN exam.
• Some provinces, like British Columbia, have an expedited application process for Australian-educated nurses.
• If you plan to use the IEC Working Holiday to come to Canada, you must complete an immigration medical exam before you arrive. Without it, your permit will restrict you from working in healthcare.
• Nursing qualifies under Canada’s Express Entry healthcare category, which has seen dedicated draws with lower CRS cut-offs for eligible candidates.

Is Your Australian Nursing Registration Valid in Canada?

No. Your Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency (AHPRA) registration does not transfer to Canada. Each Canadian province has its own nursing regulator, and you need to meet that regulator’s requirements independently, regardless of how long you’ve been registered in Australia or what your scope of practice was there.

The good news is that Australian nursing education and practice is considered comparable to Canadian standards by several provinces. This means you may be eligible for a streamlined process rather than the full international assessment pathway.

The Licensing Process for Nurses: How It Works

To work as a nurse in Canada, you must get a licence from the provincial college in the province where you plan to work. You must also have authorization to live and work in Canada, such as a work permit, or Canadian permanent residency.

Let’s look at the licensing process first. Every province has its own nursing regulator.

There are three nursing levels in Canada: Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs, also called Registered Practical Nurses in some provinces) typically require a diploma, Registered Nurses (RNs) need at least a nursing degree, and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) require advanced credentials or experience. Most Australian nurses apply as RNs.

The path to RN licensure in Canada involves two main stages: a credential assessment, and registration with your provincial college. The NCLEX-RN and a jurisprudence exam are both completed as part of the registration process. The specific steps and timelines vary depending on which province you’re applying in.

Step 1: Credential Assessment Through NNAS

For most provinces outside Quebec, the first step is an application to the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS). NNAS reviews your nursing education and employment history and produces an Advisory Report, which you then submit to the provincial regulator as part of your licensing application.

For Australian nurses, your AHPRA registration documentation will form part of this submission. In 2025, NNAS introduced an Expedited Service through which you can get an Advisory Report in as little as five business days for nurses who are already licensed in another country.

However, if you’re applying in British Columbia, you may not need to go through NNAS at all. More on that in the next step.

Step 2: Registering With Your Provincial College

Once your credentials are assessed, you apply for registration with your provincial college. Each college has its own requirements, but the process typically includes verification of your education, language proficiency, and practice history.

British Columbia’s expedited pathway for Australian nurses

British Columbia has a dedicated expedited pathway for nurses educated in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, based on evidence that nursing education in these countries is considered comparable to Canadian standards. Instead of going through NNAS, you apply simultaneously to BCCNM and to Inspire Global Assessments, which evaluates your identity, English language proficiency, and education credentials.

To be eligible, you must have graduated from an approved registered nurse education program in Australia, New Zealand, or the UK that led to initial RN licensure. You must have completed your nursing education program within the preceding five years or have completed 1,125 verified practice hours within that period.

The BC process includes two additional requirements not found in all provinces: you must complete an approved course on the Canadian healthcare system, and you must complete a transitional practice experience of 250 hours with a single employer under a provisional licence. Once those are done and you’ve passed the NCLEX-RN, you’re eligible for a full practising licence.

If you don’t meet the eligibility criteria for the BC expedited process, you’ll need to apply through the standard internationally educated nurse pathway, which routes through NNAS.

Outside of BC, most provinces follow the NNAS pathway and then provincial registration directly, without the coursework or transitional practice requirement. Ontario, Alberta, and Nova Scotia are common destinations for internationally educated nurses, and all three have active healthcare recruitment. Processing times and specific requirements vary by college, so check directly with the relevant regulator for the province you’re targeting.

The NCLEX-RN and the Jurisprudence Exam

Regardless of province, all RN applicants in Canada must pass the NCLEX-RN. This is the same licensing exam used in the United States. You cannot practise as a registered nurse in Canada until you pass it. Your provincial college will provide instructions on how to register once your credentials are verified.

Most provinces also require you to pass a jurisprudence exam, an online assessment of the laws, regulations, and practice standards governing nursing in that province. The content is province-specific, so the exam you’d take in Ontario differs from the one in Alberta.

Coming to Canada Through IEC as an Australian Nurse

The International Experience Canada (IEC) is a popular route for Australians coming to Canada. Australian citizens can participate in the IEC under the Australia-Canada Youth Mobility Agreement. It provides a work permit for up to 24 months for Australians aged 18 to 35.

Australian nurses are eligible for the IEC too, provided they fall within the age range. Two of the three IEC programs are relevant for nurses: Working Holiday and Young Professionals.

Note: You’ll need to complete an immigration medical exam through a Government of Canada-approved panel physician in Australia before you arrive, or your permit will include a condition restricting healthcare work.

The Working Holiday Stream

The Working Holiday stream gives you an open work permit for up to 24 months. The open work permit means you can work for almost any employer once you arrive. You don’t need a job offer before you apply.

As a nurse from Australia, you can start your provincial licensing process before arriving in Canada. Once you’ve passed the NCLEX-RN and jurisprudence exam and received your license, you can start working in your profession. Keep in mind that the nursing license is province-specific, which means you can only work in one province.

The Young Professionals Stream

The Young Professionals stream requires a pre-arranged job offer before you apply, so in practice it suits nurses who are already licensed, provisionally licensed, or far enough through the licensing process that a Canadian employer is willing to make a firm offer.

The role must count toward your professional development, defined as a position classified under NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3. Registered nurses are included under NOC 31301, which is TEER 1, so nursing qualifies.

The key advantage over the standard employer-specific work permit route is that the Young Professionals permit is LMIA-exempt. Your employer doesn’t need to go through the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process before hiring you. They submit a job offer through the IRCC Employer Portal and pay a compliance fee, and you use the offer of employment number to apply for your Young Professionals work permit.

The trade-off is that the permit is employer specific. You’re tied to that employer for the duration of your stay, and changing employers requires a new work permit application. If you’re eligible for both Young Professionals and the Working Holiday program, the Working Holiday program will give you more freedom and flexibility.

Working as a Nurse on an Employer-Specific Work Permit

The IEC Working Holiday isn’t the only way to get a work permit. Nursing is in demand across Canada, and many employers, particularly hospitals and health authorities in regions with persistent staffing shortages, are motivated to hire internationally.

The employer will generally need to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) before you can apply for a work permit. An LMIA is a document that confirms there is a genuine need for a foreign worker to fill the role and that no suitable Canadian candidate was available. That said, healthcare is one of the sectors where there are demonstrated shortages.

Once the employer receives a positive LMIA, they can make you a formal job offer. You then use that offer and the LMIA number to apply for an employer-specific work permit. An employer-specific work permit ties you to that employer for the duration of the permit. You would need to apply for a new permit to change employers.

The challenge is that most employers will want to hire nurses who are eligible to work in the province immediately. This means that you’re more likely to land a job offer and qualify for an employer-specific work permit if you’re already licensed by a Canadian province.

Canadian Permanent Residence Programs for Australian Nurses

If you’re thinking beyond a working holiday visa or work permit, nurses are well-positioned to succeed in Canada’s permanent residence system.

The federal Express Entry system manages applications for Canada’s main economic immigration programs. At present, registered nurses (NOC 31301) with one year of work experience can qualify for draws under the healthcare and social services category.

If you build at least one year of skilled Canadian work experience first, through IEC or an employer-specific permit, you also become eligible for the Canadian Experience Class.

Several provinces also have provincial nominee streams targeted at healthcare workers. A provincial nomination under an Express Entry-aligned stream adds 600 CRS points to your profile, which effectively guarantees an invitation to apply. British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, and Nova Scotia all have streams worth researching depending on where you plan to settle.

The Express Entry system and the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) are expected to undergo reforms in 2026-2027. One of the proposed recommendations is awarding candidates who are “practice-ready” with extra CRS points. For internationally educated nurses, this would mean that getting licensed before applying for PR will give you an advantage.

Where to Start as an Australian Nurse Planning to Work in Canada

If you’re an Australian nurse planning to come to Canada, your first step should be to decide which province you’re targeting. Then, contact that province’s nursing regulator to understand the licensing process and requirements. For BC, the BC College of Nurses and Midwives has an expedited pathway. For other provinces, you will need to start a NNAS application.

The sooner you start your licensing process, the quicker you’ll be able to enter the Canadian job market. You may be able to take the NCLEX from outside Canada, at one of the authorized test centers in Australia. Most provinces also allow you to take the jurisprudence exam virtually.

If you plan to come to Canada on a work permit, book your immigration medical exam through an approved panel physician in Australia before your application is finalized. Skipping that step can delay your ability to work in nursing by months after you land.

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