How Nurses Can Immigrate to Canada
Nurses usually immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, where IRCC holds health care and social services category draws, or through a provincial nominee stream, which adds 600 CRS points. Licensing is a separate track: most nurses start with an NNAS assessment, registered nurses then write the NCLEX-RN in most provinces, and every nurse registers with the nursing regulator in their province.
467 to 475
2026 cut-offs in health care rounds
600
CRS points a provincial nomination adds
6 to 7 months
Express Entry PR processing
The cut-offs come from IRCC's round results. The months are IRCC's Express Entry figures, last updated October 9, 2026. The Express Entry draws page lists every round.
Which NOC codes cover nurses?
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 includes several nursing codes. All of them are on IRCC's healthcare and social services category list.
| NOC code | Title | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | TEER 1 |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners | TEER 1 |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses | TEER 2 |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates | TEER 3 |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors | TEER 0 |
The Federal Skilled Worker Program counts skilled work experience in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 (IRPR s.75), and the Canadian Experience Class does the same for Canadian experience (IRPR s.87.1).
What changes with TEER is the language floor. CEC requires CLB 7 for TEER 0 and 1 work and CLB 5 for TEER 2 and 3 work, while FSW requires CLB 7 regardless.
Provincial nomination remains a third route for any of these codes. Find your code with the NOC Finder.
The rule
The Federal Skilled Worker Program counts skilled work experience in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.
How do the health care rounds in Express Entry work?
Since 2023, IRCC has run category-based Express Entry draws targeting healthcare workers. Healthcare and social services is one of the current categories on IRCC's category-based selection page, and the February 18, 2026 announcement named French-language proficiency, healthcare and trades as the categories with continuing rounds.
The exact eligible occupations and categories are set each year, so confirm the current list on canada.ca. A minimum CRS threshold still applies in each round.
- In 2026 health care rounds cut off between 467 and 475, below every CEC round (507 to 523).
- Category eligibility counts at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) within the past 3 years in a single listed occupation, whatever your primary occupation.
- You do not need to apply for a healthcare draw. If your profile qualifies, you are automatically included, and eligibility is assessed at the time of the draw from your profile data.
- A single profile can be invited in a health care round or in any other round it qualifies for, such as CEC or PNP rounds. IRCC has held no general round since April 2024.
- When you receive an ITA (Invitation to Apply), you have 60 days to submit a complete PR application with supporting documents.
The Express Entry guide covers the full process.
Which provincial streams target health workers?
Every province and territory except Quebec and Nunavut runs a provincial nominee program. A nomination through an Express Entry-aligned stream adds 600 CRS points, and in 2026 rounds for nominated candidates cut off between 697 and 805, through the round of October 26, 2026.
Stream names and eligibility change frequently, so confirm the current streams on each provincial website.
- Ontario: Ontario Workforce Priority stream
- The only open OINP stream. It needs a full-time permanent Ontario job offer, and applicants with a TEER 0 to 3 offer can ask to be nominated through Express Entry. Confirm the details on ontario.ca/page/oinp.
- British Columbia: Health Authority stream
- It needs a full-time, indeterminate job offer from a BC health authority.
- Alberta: Alberta Express Entry Stream
- The AAIP's Alberta Express Entry Stream runs a dedicated pathway for health care professionals.
- Saskatchewan: Health Talent Pathway
- The SINP runs a Health Talent Pathway, and to apply you need a job offer.
The Pathway Explorer sets out every major pathway and its published criteria.
How does a nurse get licensed to practise?
Nursing is a regulated profession in Canada. To practise as a nurse, you must be licensed by the provincial regulatory body where you intend to work. The regulator, not NNAS or IRCC, makes the registration decision.
NNAS assessment (RNs and LPNs)
The National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) reviews your nursing education, licences and employment, then issues an Advisory Report to the regulators you choose. NNAS says Advisory Reports are released within five business days once all documents are received. Check nnas.ca for the fees.
Provincial regulator application
Apply to the provincial nursing regulator, such as the College of Nurses of Ontario, the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) or the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta. It reviews your NNAS report and may require additional assessment, bridging education or further exams. Requirements vary by province and by nurse category (RN, NP, LPN/RPN).
Entry-to-practice exam
RN applicants in most provinces write the NCLEX-RN, administered through NCSBN. Practical nurses write the exam their regulator sets, which in Ontario is the REx-PN.
Jurisprudence exam
Some regulators, such as the College of Nurses of Ontario, also require a jurisprudence exam (in Ontario, an open-book exam).
Provincial registration
Once all requirements are met, you receive your provincial nursing licence and can practise. Keep your registration current with the regulator.
Can a nurse work in Canada before permanent residence?
Working in Canada before PR takes a work permit. For nurses:
- LMIA-based permits: your Canadian employer applies for a Labour Market Impact Assessment. ESDC's low-wage stream prioritizes health occupations, including registered nurses and nurse aides, outside Quebec.
- LMIA-exempt permits: international agreements (such as CUSMA for US and Mexican nurses, with a licence from the province of destination) or intra-company transfers may exempt certain nurses.
- Provincial nominee permits: some provinces give nominees a work permit support letter (Ontario does, if applicable).
- Open work permits: some spouses qualify if the worker is in a TEER 0 or 1 occupation or a listed TEER 2 or 3 occupation (the list includes health occupations) and has at least 16 months left on the work permit.
- Bridging open work permits: for people in Canada with valid worker status (or maintained or restorable status) whose complete PR application passed the completeness check and who have their acknowledgement of receipt.
Which free tool checks your own case?
- CRS CalculatorYour Express Entry points, factor by factor
- Pathway ExplorerWhich programs to read about, from a few answers
- Language ConverterIELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF and TCF to CLB
Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.
What do people ask?
Can nurses immigrate to Canada without a job offer?
Often, yes. Express Entry, including the health care and social services category, does not require a job offer. Since November 3, 2026, a qualifying job offer earns CRS points (100, 70 or 50) only if its occupation is on IRCC's high-wage occupations list, and only when it beats your Canadian work experience points, since the new labour market integration factor counts one or the other, never both. Some provincial nominee streams require a job offer and others do not, depending on the province and stream. A job offer can still help with a work permit before PR. Our Express Entry vs PNP guide compares the two routes.
What immigration programs are there for nurses in Canada?
Two main routes lead to permanent residence. Express Entry covers the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, and all five nursing NOC codes in this guide are on IRCC’s health care and social services category list. A nomination through an Express Entry-aligned provincial stream adds 600 CRS points. Quebec selects its own immigrants. Our Express Entry Category Draws guide lists every category IRCC draws from.
Do I need to pass the NCLEX-RN before applying for PR?
No. The NCLEX-RN is required for nursing registration in Canada, not for immigration, so you can apply for and receive permanent residence without it. You must pass it before you can work as a registered nurse in most provinces, and the provincial regulator decides your registration. Many nurses run the two tracks in parallel.
Does NNAS or IRCC decide whether I can work as a nurse in Canada?
Neither. NNAS only assesses and reports on your credentials, and IRCC only decides your immigration status, such as permanent residence or a work permit. The provincial or territorial nursing regulator, such as the College of Nurses of Ontario or BCCNM, decides whether you can register and practise. You can be a permanent resident and still not practise until that regulator registers you. Our Foreign Credential Recognition guide covers the process.
Can I work as a nurse in Canada before getting PR?
Yes, with a valid work permit and provincial nursing registration. Your employer would usually need an LMIA, or the role may fall under one of the published LMIA-exempt categories of the International Mobility Program, such as CUSMA for US and Mexican nurses (with a licence from the province of destination). You can start the Express Entry or provincial nominee process while you work in Canada. Our LMIA-Exempt Work Permits guide explains those categories.
What if my CRS score is too low for a healthcare draw?
A provincial nomination is the biggest lever: it adds 600 CRS points, and in 2026 the rounds for nominated candidates cut off between 697 and 805, through the round of October 26, 2026. You can also raise your language scores, gain eligible Canadian work experience or add a second official language. Since November 3, 2026, a qualifying job offer earns 100, 70 or 50 CRS points only in an occupation on IRCC's high-wage occupations list. Our CRS Calculator shows how each change moves your score.
Do I need NNAS if I want to work in Quebec?
Ask the OIIQ. In Quebec, the nursing regulator is the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ), so its process is the one to follow, and French-language requirements apply in Quebec. Quebec also selects its own economic immigrants through programs separate from federal Express Entry. If you are aiming for Quebec, confirm the current process with the OIIQ. Our Language Tests for Immigration guide covers the French tests.
Is my nursing degree recognized in Canada?
Not automatically. Internationally educated nurses apply to NNAS (in Quebec, confirm the process with the OIIQ). NNAS assesses your nursing education, and the provincial regulator then decides. Some programs are judged equivalent; others need bridging courses or more exams. Starting NNAS early saves time. Our Foreign Credential Recognition guide explains the assessments.
Part of:Immigrating permanently
- Canada Immigration for Tradespeople: Electricians, Plumbers, Carpenters
- Engineer Immigration to Canada
- Canada Immigration for Teachers: Education Category 2025
The textbook on this subject
Volume 2: Immigrating to Canada $79
The economic and family pathways to permanent residence, explained from the published criteria.
Follow on Facebook to hear when the library opens (opens in a new tab)Official sources
This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.