BC spends $12M to streamline certification for internationally trained nurses

Apr 19 2022, 8:02 pm

The BC government is spending $12 million to streamline the process for internationally educated nurses to get licensed and work in the profession.

Health Minister Adrian Dix made the announcement Tuesday, saying the new bursaries and consolidated assessment process could ease the nursing shortage in BC.

“Our government is committed to addressing the province’s demand for nurses. That’s why we’re launching this comprehensive suite of supports for internationally educated nurses to help them put their skills to use here in B.C.,” Dix said in a news release.

BC is offering $9 million in bursaries to help prospective nurses pay for assessment fees, language testing, skill evaluation, and education upgrading. The bursary amounts will range from $1,500 to $16,000.

The Province is also streamlining the assessment process for internationally trained nurses, and creating a new navigator tool to help them get through the assessment and licensing process.

Nurses who were educated abroad must go through a lengthy process to be certified to work in BC. Right now, internationally educated nurses take an average of 18 months to two years to complete the process.

It’s a costly process, with assessments charging between $2,000 to $6,000, language testing running at $400, and application to professional bodies costing $600 to $1,200.

The government is providing money to make the assessment process quicker, doubling the number of applicants that can be tested in a single day.

“After years of advocating for improvements to help expedite the inclusion of internationally trained nurses, the BC Nurses’ Union welcomes this promising step forward,” BC Nurses’ Union president Aman Grewal said. “We believe these trained professionals bring valuable experience, skills, and knowledge to a health-care system that is in desperate need of nurses.”

Nurses interested in learning more can visit Health Match BC.

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