Provincial funding aims to speed up licensing for internationally educated nurses

The province has providedfunding to the Nova Scotia College of Nursing aimed at streamlining and expediting the licensing of internationally educated nurses.

The college is already reviewing the registration and licensing process for nurses who gained their credentials abroad. The one-time funding amount of $340,000, provided in June, is allowing the college to hire more staff to support that work.

"The demand for health-care professionals, including nurses, has increased since the pandemic started, with all jurisdictions competing to attract these highly skilled workers," said Health Minister Michelle Thompson in a news release.

"Today's announcement builds upon other important initiatives to secure and retain nurses throughout Nova Scotia, including the government's commitment to fund 200 new nursing seats and guarantee every nurse graduate over the next five years a full-time job."

The number of internationally educated nurses has grown this year, with more than 210 nurses obtaining their licence so far in 2022, up from 152 in 2021. On average, about 140 internationally educated nurses are licensed each year in Nova Scotia.

Some of the changes implemented by the college include adding more options to meet the English language proficiency requirement, giving earlier access to the national registration exam, allowing earlier entry and return to practice, reducing the documentation required and giving conditional licences to nurses who are already registered, licensed and in good standing elsewhere in Canada.

There are 185 internationally educated nurse applicants currently in the registration and licensing process.