June 4, 2025

Media Releases

Ministerial Directive to Remove Registration Requirement for Labour Mobility Applicants Puts Patient Safety at Risk

WINNIPEG – Patient safety should never be a secondary concern in Manitoba. That is why today, the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba is sharing its concerns regarding a directive from the Minister of Health to remove an essential requirement for registration as a registered nurse (RN) in Manitoba.

The letter, received April 30, 2025, directs the College to remove the requirement for recent registered nursing practice for applicants who are currently registered in other provinces and territories in Canada, citing concerns about compliance with internal trade agreements and applicable provincial legislation.

This is despite clear evidence since 2023 that applicants who were recently licensed in other provinces and then applied to be licensed in Manitoba (labour mobility applicants), and were lacking recent RN practice experience, have contributed to a significant increase in complaints alleging nursing incompetence. These complaints document a deeply concerning lack of nursing knowledge, skill and judgement, including but not limited to the inability to take or interpret vital signs, perform a health assessment, safely administer medication or prioritize patient care. In some cases, these problems have contributed to severe patient harms, including two patient deaths.

“We have received a substantial and alarming increase in complaints alleging gross nursing incompetence, which are strongly linked to labour mobility applicants who did not have a minimum level of recent nursing experience to be considered safe,” said Deb Elias, RN, CEO/Registrar of the College. “To be clear, the College absolutely supports and welcomes registered nurses and nurse practitioners from other provinces and other countries, while also always upholding patient safety, and we know it is possible to do both.”

The College has taken further steps to address the risks posed by inexperienced nurses engaging in agency and self-employed nursing practice, including requiring a minimum of 2,015 hours of registered nursing practice experience in a Canadian jurisdiction before being eligible to work in these practice settings. Simultaneously, the College has also implemented expedited pathways for nurses educated and registered in select countries and will continue to look for opportunities to safely streamline and expedite registration processes for all applicants, regardless of where they have been licensed or completed their education.

“We appreciate the importance of addressing the staffing shortages and health human resource challenges in Manitoba,” Elias noted. “We are absolutely ready and eager to work with the Minister and the Manitoba government as partners in addressing staffing shortages and supporting effective entry to nursing practice in Canada and Manitoba. However, when our ability to independently set standards is restricted or undermined, the risk to the public of unsafe nursing practice can increase in unpredictable ways, which no one wants. We will continue to work to faithfully execute our mandate to protect and serve the public interest with the care and attention that it demands.”

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Additional resources:

For media inquiries and further information, please contact:

Martin Lussier
Manager of Communications and Public Engagement
mlussier@crnm.mb.ca
204-789-0662

For general inquiries:
info@crnm.mb.ca
204-774-3477