Applying for licensure in British Columbia?
BCCNM is not currently accepting applications for multijurisdictional licensure. If you provide virtual or in-person care to British Columbians, you must hold practising licensure with BCCNM.
Learn how to apply.
Multijurisdictional licensure pilot project
On December 31, 2023, BCCNM began piloting multi-jurisdictional licensure (MJL) with a small number of nurses. The pilot will identify specific requirements, challenges and considerations for BCCNM to more efficiently regulate nurses who practice in two or more Canadian provinces or territories. BCCNM’s findings will contribute to a national project, led by the Canadian Nurse Regulator Collaborative (CNRC), to develop a pan-Canadian approach to more efficiently regulate nurses who work in more than one Canadian jurisdiction.
MJL licensure renewal
MJL licensure renewal ran from Jan. 15, 2026 to March 13, 2026. It is now closed.
For individuals who did not renew by the deadline, your licensure has expired.
You must not provide virtual or in-person nursing care to British Columbians unless you hold licensure with BCCNM.
As BCCNM is currently piloting MJL, there is no re-application process. Individuals who wish to keep practising will need to apply for
practising licensure.
Practising as a multijurisdictional licensee
- Requirements for maintaining multijurisdictional licensure
-
You must continue to meet the following requirements to maintain your multijurisdictional licensure with BCCNM. BCCNM Licensing Services will contact the nursing regulator in your home jurisdiction periodically to re-verify your eligibility for MJL.
-
Your primary residence is outside of British Columbia, but within Canada.
-
You hold practising licensure (or equivalent) in your "home" or primary Canadian jurisdiction in the same nursing profession.
-
In your home jurisdiction:
- You are not subject to any practice limitations, restrictions, or conditions.
- You meet (and continue to meet) the continuing competence/quality assurance requirements.
- You hold current and appropriate professional liability protection.
- LPN standards of practice in British Columbia
- Nursing scope, professional and practice standards are slightly different in every Canadian jurisdiction. Please review the
Practice and Ethics Standards,
for licensed practical nurses to ensure you understand the expectations related to your nursing practice in British Columbia.
In particular, please ensure you review the
Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-Racism Practice Standard, which outlines how BCCNM registrants are to provide culturally safe and anti-racist care for Indigenous clients.
- Practice hours
-
- LPNs must meet the
practice hour requirement as it is one indicator that you are maintaining currency in practice. You will be asked to self-report your practice hours during license renewal.
- If you do not meet the practice hours requirement, you will not be able to renew your multijurisdictional licensure.
- Please keep a record of your practice hours for auditing purposes.
- Professional liability protection
-
Holding professional liability protection in your home jurisdiction is a requirement for multijurisdictional licensure with BCCNM. Please check with your professional liability provider for questions or considerations related to providing nursing services to B.C. residents as a multijurisdictional registrant.
To renew your registration, you must statisfy the BCCNM's professional liablity protection (PLP) requirements as detailed below:
BCCNM professional liablity protection requirements
|
|
LPN
|
$1,000,000 per claim or per occurrence
|
|
RN |
$5,000,000 per claim or per occurance with a minimum aggregate amount for each year of $5,000,000
|
RPN
|
- Changes to your home jurisdiction registration
- You must contact BCCNM Licensing Services immediately at
register@bccnm.ca if you:
- Become a subject of a complaint, review or investigation by another regulatory body.
- Change your home jurisdiction to another Canadian regulator outside of British Columbia.
- Change your licensure to non-practising in your home jurisdiction.
- Cancel/do not renew your licensure in your home jurisdiction.
- Resources to support your practice in British Columbia
-
Moving to British Columbia
If British Columbia becomes the province of your primary residence, you must apply for practising licensure with BCCNM.
Learn how to apply.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a home jurisdiction?
- A home jurisdiction is the province or territory of your primary residence and nursing licensure.
- What is a primary residence?
- Your primary residence is the province where you have a permanent address and/or you submit your tax returns to the Canadian Revenue Agency.
- Do I need to renew my licensure with BCCNM?
- Yes. Registration renewal information is provided above.
- I’m cancelling or not renewing my licensure in my home jurisdiction. Can I keep my multijurisdictional licensure with BCCNM?
- No. You must continuously hold practising licensure in your home jurisdiction to maintain your multijurisdictional licensure with BCCNM. If you cancel your license in your home jurisdiction, your BCCNM license will be cancelled. If you want to practice in British Columbia in the future, you will need to apply for practising licensure (MJL will not be available).
- I need to change my home jurisdiction. What do I need to do?
-
1. Contact BCCNM Licensing Services at
register@bccnm.ca and request to change to your home jurisdiction on record.
2. After verifying your registration with the regulator in your new home jurisdiction, Licensing Services will update your registrant file and the
BCCNM online directory.
Important: You must hold practising registration in your home jurisdiction to maintain your multijurisdictional licensure with BCCNM. We strongly recommend that you do not cancel your practising licensure in your original home jurisdiction until:
- You have been granted practising licensure in your new home jurisdiction.
- BCCNM has verified your licensure with the regulator in the new home jurisdiction.
- Your new home jurisdiction is displayed on the BCCNM online directory.
- If I cancel my multijurisdictional licensure, can I reapply in the future?
- No. BCCNM is currently piloting multijurisdictional licensure and is not accepting new applications. If you cancel your MJL – or BCCNM cancels your licensure because you do not meet the requirements – you will not be able to re-apply. If you will be providing virtual or in-person care to British Columbians, you will need to apply for practising licensure. A timeline for when an MJL application will be available has not been determined.
- Why can’t I apply (or re-apply) for multijurisdictional licensure?
- BCCNM is piloting multijurisdictional licensure and is not currently accepting applications.
- I’m going on leave (e.g. parental leave). What do I need to know?
- To hold multijurisdictional licensure with BCCNM, you must maintain practising licensure in your home jurisdiction.
- If you keep your practising licensure in your home jurisdiction for the period of your leave, your license with BCCNM will be unchanged. We will contact you if action is required (e.g. renew your licensure).
- If you choose to cancel your registration in your home jurisdiction, you will no longer meet the requirements for MJL and your licensure with BCCNM will be cancelled. If you want to practice in British Columbia in the future, you will be required to apply for practising licensure. MJL will not be available.
- How were the pilot project participants selected?
- Participants previously held temporary emergency registration with BCCNM and live outside of B.C.