Frequently asked questions :

Q. Who is Nurses4Canada?
A. I hope we have given you a brief description on our homepage, I am a Canadian citizen born and raised in Canada, living in Dubai, UAE (Head Office). By the end of 2005 we plan to open another office in the UK.

Q. What is the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC)?
A. It is our the governing body for all persons who wish to deal with Immigration to Canada - If you are not a member in good standing, the Canadian High Commission will not accept an application from that Consultant. In an effort to clean up the immigration industry the Canadian Government legislated a governing body, much like a nurses assoc. they police consultants that deal with matters of Immigration to Canada on a fee for service basis. For further information we encourage all of our clients to visit www.csic-scci.ca under mandate for full details.

Q. Is Nurses4Canada a member of CSIC?
A. Kathryn MacDonald - Managing Director of Nurses4Canada is a member of CSIC. CSIC issues licenses only to individual consultants not companies.

Q. How many nurses are required in Canada?
A. As of today, there are no final figures in through the Canadian Nurses Assoc. However, the reports estimate a shortage of 22,000-35000 in all the Canadian provinces required in the next 10 years.

Q. What is my status upon landing in Canada?
A. For you and your family members that were issued visas, you are considered as "Permanent Residents" of Canada, after 3 years, you qualify for your passport.

Q. What is my Nursing Status upon arriving in Canada?
A. You will be considered a "Registered Nurse" on an interim permit.

Q. What does Interim Permit mean?
A. Interim permit is the permission you obtain from the Provincial Nurses Association to work as a nurse with the condition attached that you will write and pass the Canadian Nurse's Exams within a specific time frame. Time frames vary from province to province.

Q. What happens When I Pass the exam?
A. When you pass the exam (CRNE) you are considered "Fully Registered " and do not have any other conditions attached to your registration.

Q. How much money will I make as a Nurse in Canada?
A. This depends on your level of nursing experience and may increase upon completion of the Canadian Nurse's exams, but a rule of thumb is between $22.00 -$37.00 per hour for a 37.5 hour week, each hr. thereafter is overtime and is paid usually at time and one half of your hourly salary. With the interim permit you still qualify for all benefits that are paid to all nurses.

Q. What documents are required to make an application?
A. Upon Filling out our "Intent to Register" and submitting your required payment, you will receive an official list of forms and documents.

Q. What form of payments does Nurses4Canada take?
A. We take all major credit cards, bank wire transfer, or direct deposit into our bank account in the Emirates; please contact us for our banking details if you want to wire transfer.

Q. Do I have to have my IELTS test prior to applying?
A. No, infact you have approximately one year after we submit your application to the Canadian High Commission before they formally request it.

Q. What is the first step?
A. The first step is to sign an "Intent to Register" with nurses4canada.com / North American Services Center and submit your first payment.

Q. What happens if I do not meet the requirements to Nurse in Canada?
A. You will receive a full report of the evaluation detailing which areas in which you are lacking, should you be short clinical hours they will most likely approve you, and let you do the hours in that province upon arrival. If you are short more then that, a recommended course is supplied to you and with whom you may take the recommended course(s) you must obtain the associations approval prior to taking a course. This ensures you are meeting the level of education of which you maybe lacking. Final results must be submitted to the Association for approval.

Q. Do I Still Qualify for Immigration if my nursing credentials are lacking?
A. Yes, the immigration rules do not insist you meet the Canadian standards,(The nurses assoc. is the one to determine if you qualify to nurse) however, it's better for you if you are able to work in your occupation upon landing. Your permanent residence visas will be issued based on the six selection factors as specified under the IRPA.

Q. Do I have to prove settlement funds?
A. Yes, under the Canadian system you must prove enough funds for you to establish yourself and your family upon landing in Canada. Because your permanent residence visas have no conditions, you are not obligated to work at all. However, most do, but the insurance for the government is your settlement funds that you can establish yourself with a home, car etc. without relying on our welfare system. However, if you have a confirmed job offer, this relaxes the requirement and settlement funds do not need to be proven.

Q. Will Nurses4Canada look for a Job for me, without applying for Immigration?
A. NO. We are not a recrutiment agency, that is a totally different industry, we seek employment offers only for our clients.

Q. Why do I have to apply for Immigration and not just wait until I am offered a Job and go on a work permit?
A. Currently the reason why hospitals are seeking international nurses is because the positon cannot be filled by a Canadian. With our program you are moving forward with or without a job, You are at the very least obtaining your registration to nurse (authority to nurse) and obtaining your permanent residence visa . This is a WIN-WIN! It has been my experience, that even if a nurse obtains a confirmed job offer,(in some cases) without having applied for immigration the work permit is declined by the government. This is very frustrating. We have taken that out of the process!

Q. I am a Diploma Holder do I qualify?
A. YES, The individual provinces are taking Diploma holders that have a minimum 1165 hours of practice in the past 5 years, however, in Ontario & New Brunswick they require Bachelors Degree Nursing, after January 1,2005. Out of 10 provinces 8 accept diplomas.

Q. How long after I arrive do I have to take the Canadian Nursing Exams?
A. You will have 4-8 months to write for the first time, and should you not pass you have another 2 times to re-write within a reasonable amount of time. (This varies from province to province)

Q. How long from start to finish does it take to be in Canada?
A. Depends on how quickly you supply the required documents as well your IELTS (academic) test results (if English is not your native language) , also the demand on the Canadian High Commission in your region. Usually 15-24 months.

Q. How much does it cost?
A. The costs are two fold - Our professional fees plus the government of Canada application and landing fees. This will depend on the size of your family. Upon filling out the assessment form on our webpage, we will send you all the details.

Q. Is a Job Guaranteed?
A. We cannot guarantee that you will be hired after your interviewed by a hospital or clinic. The decision is that of the employers, we have no influence on any government departments. However, many of our nurses have been offered very good jobs, and we encourage you to ensure your CV and credentials are comprehensive for your best chance.

Q. What happens if I do not get a job?
A. In the event you choose to not take a job or are not offered a job prior to Permanent Residents visas being issued, you still land with your visas, and are considered employable and ready to nurse in that specific province. Prior to leaving Nurses4Canada sets you up with "Headhunters" and specific hospitals to pursue upon landing. Nurses are not out of work for longer then 2 weeks after landing. (These are our stats only)

Q. Will I get a moving allowance, If I am hired by a Hospital prior to Landing?
A. In most cases (not guaranteed) the hospital region will offer you an amount to help off set any costs for the re-location for you and your family. Our experience has been from $3,000.00-$5.000.00 Canadian Dollars.

Q. Where in Canada will I be living and working?
A. There are currently 8 out of 10 provinces actively recruiting nurses, we discuss with you in detail based on your lifestyle which province is best suited to you.

Q. How do I get all of my documents back and forth to Dubai?
A. Where there is not a designated agent in your area nurses4canada.com will use FedEx courier to obtain your documents and in some cases regular or registered mail service.

Q. Who is a designated representative?
A. No one. Just us.

Q. What will be my status upon arriving in Canada?
A. Your status will be Permanent Resident, which entitles you to all the rights as any other Canadian except to vote and run for public office, you may do so upon obtaining citizenship (36 months)

Q. What if I don't like my job and wish to quit?
A. It is your right; you will not be sent back or cancelled residency under this program.

So why delay? Fill out your assessment form and start your nursing in Canada today! Click here

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