Fabulous Nurse Magazine
Travel Requirements: Traveling to Canada
traveling nurse agencies describe a 32 week
is not an easy process. Regardless of your
training regimen for all foreign nurses wish-
country of origin, as Canada seems to not
ing to work in Canada, regardless of your
distinguish between American and other for-
country of origin. These agencies describe
eign nurse applicants, you must secure a Ca-
a dormitory -cafeteria setting for you dur-
nadian work visa first. To do that, you must
ing your training period, and then offer as-
in essence, get a job. While you could ven-
sistance with finding a place to stay once
ture on your own and simply contact Canadi-
you start work. Further, you must pass the
an hospitals and complete their applications,
provincial licensing examination, regardless
the more typical route is through a travel
of your previous training (Canadian or other-
nursing agency. Further, these agencies of-
wise) and/or direct experience.
fer considerable assistance beyond simply shepherding your applications to numerous
Are you daunted yet?
employers (which would also save you much
Though the process seems complex and
leg work). They offer help with getting a
lengthy, there are various resources for the
place to stay and other “start-up” concerns.
traveling nurse. Canada needs nurses, and
Plus, the reputable agencies charge the em-
according to the Canadian State Department
ployer for their services, not you. But wait,
website, http://www.canadavisa.com, does
there’s more.
everything it can to make the immigration
Well, don’t be.
process easier (however, Canada does not Any potential employer must establish there
seem deferential to American nurses).
are no qualified Canadian citizens to fill your position and subsequently sponsor your im-
Compensation: Is it worth it? Strictly speak-
migration packet through Canadian immi-
ing and according to All Nurses, a website
gration authorities. Once you have permis-
for nurses, compensation for Canadian nurs-
sion to work in Canada, then you must meet
es is roughly the same as in the U.S. with a
the Canadian licenser requirements. Each
lower top end salary structure. But that’s not
Canadian province has its own requirements,
the whole story. It would be hard to describe
and there is no immediate reciprocal process
specific details given the size of both the U.S.
for you to “transfer” your credentials. Most
and Canada, but generally speaking, the cost
of living in Canada is considerably less than the U.S., making a strict dollar comparison more favorable to Canada. However, CBC News Online does state salary is the first and foremost issue for Canadian nursing unions. Aside from salary, the differences between Canada and America as a whole affect other areas of compensation. Almost all nurses in Canada belong to the provincial union, which of course, is advantageous to the employee. The union has negotiated 45 vacation days per annum for every nurse as well as a government sponsored, non-contributory pension. Further, because Canada has a quasi Socialist economy, Canadians have many free services that Americans don’t, such as universal health coverage and other social programs. Finally, many of the agencies that would help you obtain employment also help you (for a brief period) with your start-up costs like housing, meals, etc. Clinical Environment: Canadian culture and government policies would affect the clinical environment as well. Much Canadian health care is provided through her universal health coverage system. So, most health care is provided through large clinics and hospitals as opposed to a small office with just a few physicians. Concurrently, most of the available work is at these clinics, and is very often, shift work. According to CBC News Online in 2007, one of the nursing unions’ most frequent issues is shift work and the lack of control nurses have over their schedule.
Also, Canada has a nurse shortage,
and the national average ratio of nurses to patients is 1:136. 72