To improve health-care capacity, Alberta is making it easier for internationally educated nurses to be licensed and work in our province.
The departments of Advanced Education, Health, and Labour and Immigration are launching a three-pronged plan to help reduce barriers for internationally educated nurses. This includes expanding nurse bridging programs and clinical placements while streamlining the regulatory process and creating a new online platform to help internationally educated nurses navigate the process.
Advanced Education is spending $3.5 million in 2022-23 to begin expanding educational opportunities for internationally educated nurses.
Currently, internationally educated nurses face long wait times and little financial support to be licensed to work in Alberta. A coordinated plan to address these barriers, while still upholding the high quality of care expected in Alberta, will better support the immediate and future needs of the province's health-care system.
"Alberta is the best place in Canada to live, work and raise a family. There is huge global demand for more health-care workers. This strategic approach will help get more highly skilled and qualified nurses into our health-care system faster while reminding the world of all the advantages of living in Alberta."
Jason Kenney, Premier
Ensuring high quality of care while reducing red tape
Advanced Education will collaborate with post-secondary institutions to expand the number of seats in existing bridging programs as early as January 2023. New bridging programs and a bursary to support internationally educated nurses with the cost of becoming a nurse in Alberta will also be developed.
This program is part of a larger government initiative to ensure that qualified individuals entering regulated professions and designated occupations or trades do not face unfair processes or barriers. This includes the passing of the Fair Registration Practices Act and the creation of the Fair Registration Practices Office.
"Too many internationally educated nurses are unable to perform at their skill level because of the cost and wait time for bridging programs. We are removing these barriers and helping more internationally educated nurses practise their trade to better themselves and our health-care system."
Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Advanced Education
"Actions like the passing of the Fair Registration Practices Act and establishing the Fairness for Newcomers Office are making a difference to help internationally educated professionals get to work faster in our province. However, there is still more to do. This is why we must take an all-government approach to tackle these professional impediments."
Kaycee Madu, Minister of Labour and Immigration
"Our health-care system needs nurses, and internationally educated nurses who immigrate to Canada are a prime source of untapped knowledge and skill. Mount Royal University is proud to contribute to helping internationally educated nurses bring their resiliency, determination, patience, strong work ethic and cultural understanding to Alberta."
Tim Rahilly, president and vice-chancellor, Mount Royal University
Quick facts
- Currently, internationally educated nurses face the following barriers in Alberta:
- A time-consuming regulatory process (up to 24 months).
- Long wait times to access bridging programs that support the upskilling needed to meet Alberta's nursing practice standards.
- Lack of clinical placements to support completion of bridging programs.
- Prohibitive costs to attain licensure to practise in Alberta (up to $16,000-plus), along with a lack of financial support.
- Other Canadian jurisdictions, including British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, are pursuing innovative ways to recruit internationally educated nurses to meet their populations' needs.
