Internationally educated nurses (IENs) play an essential role in B.C.’s health care system, but the current registration process is long, complicated, and expensive. B.C. is doing things differently.
Today, BCCNM and the Nursing Community Assessment Service (NCAS) – with support from the Government of B.C.– launched a new registration process for IENs that will deliver most registration decisions within 4-9 months and eliminate most upfront application costs, while maintaining focus on an applicant’s ability to practice safely.
The new process will improve the experience for first-time applicants through:
- Increased options for credential evaluations. NNAS reports are still be accepted but are not required.
- Upfront assessments. NCAS is now the first stop for IENs who want to practise nursing in B.C., and will assess English language proficiency, education credentials and nursing competence at one time.
- Updated language proficiency requirements that use new language testing benchmarks and allow other forms of evidence to demonstrate language skills.
- An assessment that measures an applicant’s current nursing knowledge against three health care professions: registered nurse, licensed practical nurse and health care assistant.
- Elimination of most fees through government grants and bursaries.
Are you an internationally educated nurse who wants to practice in B.C.?