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Internationally-educated nurses

All internationally-educated nurses (IEN) applicants must meet the mandatory requirements to be eligible for registration.

IMPORTANT: Scams targeting internationally educated nurse applicants   

BCCNM has become aware that internationally educated nurse applicants are being targeted by a scam. Agencies and/or individuals are charging applicants high fees to submit applications for registration for them. These agencies are not endorsed by BCCNM or Inspire Global Assessments (formerly NCAS) and should not be used by applicants.

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Please rea​d the information on this page carefully before you start your application. Questions? Visit the frequently asked questions page. 
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Important information before you apply

Registration process costs
The majority of fees have either been waived due to government funding, or are available for reimbursement through the Internationally ​Educated Nurse Bursary Program.

Costs of applying for registration in B.C
 Fees
Inspire Global Assessments (formerly NCAS) application
 No cost
Credential assessment
 $120-$650
Eligible for reimbursement through IEN Bursary Program
English language proficiency (if needed)

 $300-$395
Eligible for reimbursement through IEN Bursary Program
NCAS Competency assessment
 No cost
for applicants enrolled in the IEN Bursary Program

Or

$3000
BCCNM registration application
 No cost
Transitional education (if needed)
 Variable
Eligible for reimbursement through IEN  Bursary Program
Registration exam 
 REx-PN (LPN exam): $350+GST

NCLEX ​(RN exam): $360+GST
BCCNM practising registration
 $600.24
Professional liability protection
 $119.69 or $92.40
Learn more​
Funding and other support available for internationally educated nurses
The Government of B.C. has funding and other supports available to help you become a nurse in British Columbia, including:

Nurses educated in Australia, New Zealand, UK or US
BCCNM accepts nursing education and practice in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States as largely comparable to registered nursing practice in Canada. If you were educated in one of these countries, you may be able to get registered more quickly. Learn more.
​​BCCNM assesses most IEN applications for licensed practical nurse (LPN) and registered nurse (RN) registration at the same time
BCCNM assesses most internationally educated applicants to BCCNM for registered nurse and licensed practical nurse registration at the same time through one application. Applicants also have the option of applying as a health care assistant through the Health Care Aide & ​Community Health Worker Registry. Note: BCCNM does not regulate health care assistants.

Why we do this
Assessing you for more than one nursing profession gives you the option to enter the health care workforce sooner in the nursing designation that matches your current nursing competence. Nursing education and practice differs around the world; if you do not meet the competencies required to practise as a registered nurse in British Columbia, you may meet the competencies needed to be a licensed practical nurse or health care assistant.
​Nursing professions in British Columbia
The health care system in British Columbia is supported by different nursing professions: licensed practical nurses (LPNs), nurse practitioners (NPs), registered nurses (RNs) and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs). Learn more about the types of nurses and the roles of each nursing profession.

How to apply

1. Apply to Inspire Global Assessments (formerly NCAS)​
Visit www.inspireassessments.org to get your application started. Inspire will confirm your identity and evaluate:

  • English language proficiency
  • Educational credentials; and
  • Nursing skills and knowledge through a competency assessment (if required). Applicants educated in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States may not have to complete a competency assessment. Learn more​. 
Once you have your application with Inspire underway, come back to BCCNM and start an application with us.
We recommend that you work toward completing the requirements for your Inspire and BCCNM applications at the same time to ensure you can move through the registration process as quickly as possible.
​​​​​2. Apply to BCCNM
After you have submitted your application, a member of the Registration Services team will review your documents. You will be sent a detailed email with instructions on how to request information from your previous nursing employers and regulatory bodies. Forms must be sent to BCCNM directly from the employer or regulator, and must be completed in English. If the information is provided in another language, you must have the form notarized by a notary public or lawyer, and form must be translated by a certified translator. 

Employers

You will need to ask your current/previous employers to fill out a form to confirm:

  • Your position
  • Area of practice
  • Hours worked
  • The dates you were employed with the organization

BCCNM Registration Services will tell you which employer(s) you should request this information from and will give you a form that you can send to your employer.

Regulatory bodies

You will also need to contact the regulatory bodies/colleges in all the places you have been registered as a nurse so they can provide:

  • The dates you were registered in the jurisdiction
  • Your initial nursing program completion date
  • Any exams you were required to write to be granted registration
  • Information about any investigations into your professional conduct
  • Your current standing with the regulator

    • BCCNM Registration Services will send you the form to be completed by the regulator. We will also accept the standard form/certificate used by the regulator.
3. Final requirements
BCCNM will review your application when:

  • We have received all outstanding documents and forms for your BCCNM application 
  • Inspire (formerly NCAS) sends BCCNM your Inspire applicant package
After BCCNM Registration Services has reviewed all your documents, they will share the final requirements you must complete before are eligible for registration. All applicants are required to successfully complete the regulatory exam; the need for other requirements such as additional education or coursework will be based on your individual circumstances.

Applicants educated in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States: Due to the similarity of nursing education and practice in these countries, BCCNM has pre-determined requirements if you meet the criteria. Learn more.
4. Provisional registration and registration exam
Once you have completed your additional education requirements (if required), please ask the school to send confirmation of your course completion to IENapplications@bccnm.ca​.

You will be eligible for provisional registration and will be given instructions on how to register for the relevant registration exam: the REx​-PN (LPNs) or the NCLEX-RN (RNs).

If choose to hold provisional registration​, we will send you another email with instructions on how to pay your registration fee through your BCCNM account. You will appear in the online directory once your payment is completed. Important: you are not authorized to practice as a nurse until you are listed in the online directory as a provisional registrant.
5. Practising registration granted
Once you have successfully completed the registration exam and any other remaining requirements for registration, BCCNM will grant you practising registration. If you held provisional registration, your registration will be automatically be updated in the online directory.

Please note: If you did not hold provisional registration, you cannot practise as a nurse until you are listed in the online directory as a practising registrant.​ ​
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​​​​Assessing your application

When we assess your application for registration, we consider the following:

Nursing education
  • We review the NNAS advisory report, which provides information about the comparability of your nursing education to Canadian nursing education programs.
​Good character
Good character refers to a combination of personal qualities and traits, such as ​

  • moral or ethical strength
  • Integrity, candour, empathy and honesty
  • An appreciation of the difference between right and wrong
  • The moral fibre to do that which is right and not to do that which is wrong

When determining whether you are of good character, we review:

  • The circumstances around any previous criminal charges and/or convictions, the results of your criminal record check, and any other information you wish to have considered related to the same, if applicable.
  • The completeness, correctness, and accuracy of the information you provided on the application form or in any communication with BCCNM.
  • Current or previous regulatory history, including any past investigation, resolution, and/or discipline.
  • Information related to current and/or previous employment.
  • Information from an educational institution, if applicable.
  • Any history of unethical or dishonest behaviour
  • A self-reflection of the circumstances, learnings, and growth since the events, or actions taken, that indicate a possible lack of good character.
Fitness to practice nursing
Fitness to practice refers to the absence of any physical or mental ailment, emotional disturbance, or addiction that may impair your ability to practise. When determining whether you are fit to engage in nursing practice, we review:​​
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  • Self-disclosure of a physical or mental ailment, an emotional disturbance, or an addiction that could impair your ability to practise.
  • Information from previous employer(s).
  • Information regarding any previous registration cancellation or voluntary relinquishment of registration.
  • Any current or past regulatory investigations.
  • Information regarding any current or previous limits and/or conditions placed on your practice.
  • Information from treating physician(s) or specialist(s) who can provide an opinion as to your current health status, any recommendations for safe entrance into the profession, and your fitness to practise nursing (we only request this information in certain circumstances).
Competence
When determining whether you are competent to practise as a nurse in B.C., we review:

  • All relevant nursing practice experience
  • Results of the NCAS assessment report​​
  • Any other experience working in the Canadian health care system
  • Continuing education in nursing
  • Consolidation of knowledge
  • Any periods of non-practice
English language proficiency
If English is not the primary language you use for reading, writing, listening, and speaking, you will be required to demonstrate your English language proficiency. If there is any indication during the assessment of your application your proficiency is not conducive to safe practice, we may require an English language test. When assessing your English language proficiency, BCCNM reviews:

  • Your first language.
  • Language test results (if taken).
  • ​Information from your nursing education institution.
  • Information from your employer(s).
  • Additional evidence of English proficiency (i.e. references from regulated health professionals)
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