Internationally Educated Nurses

All internationally educated applicants to Canada must first apply to the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS). For more information, please visit www.nnas.ca.

Once your NNAS advisory report has been generated, you can begin the application process in Manitoba. The first step is to open a file.  To open a file you will need to submit the following 4 requirements together and at the same time:

1. The internationally educated nurse application form
2. Application fee: $483.00 CAD
3. Clinical Competence Assessment (CCA) fee: $336.00 CAD
4. Copy of valid photo identification

For more information about the above requirements, please consult the IEN handbook.

Confirmation message

Registration staff will review the requirements that you submitted to open a file and once a file is officially opened, you will receive a confirmation email from registration services. This process can take up to 10 business days. Please check your junk folder in case the email is filed there. The purpose of the confirmation email is to let you know that your application was received, a file was opened and will outline the additional documents needed to complete your file.

Additional Documents

Additional required documents include:

1. Advisory report generated by NNAS (will be obtained by the College once you have opened a file with the College)
2. Background checks
3. Evidence of English language proficiency

Please be advised that the College reserves the right to ask for any other documentation required to properly complete the assessment of your application. For more details, please see the IEN Handbook.

The College will review your file when it  is complete and all required documents have been received

We try to complete the review within 10 business days of file completion, but this can be affected by demand for service in the department. Sometimes more information is required as part of the review of your file; the review time can be affected if there is a need to follow up with educational institutions, other regulatory bodies or employers on the information that they provided on your behalf.

In keeping with the College policy AA-7, nursing education comparability will be determined if there is evidence of:

1. post-secondary nursing education that prepares the nurse for a generalist role in situations of health and illness, along the health continuum and includes providing care across the lifespan (to people of all ages), to all genders, and across diverse practice settings, and
2. the theoretical instruction was accompanied by clinical practice placements which included provision of direct care in all applicable settings

If comparability has been determined, you are eligible to continue in the application process and  will be referred for a Clinical Competence Assessment (CCA). Applicants who also meet the additional criteria outlined in College Policy AA-7, will be provided with the option to complete either a CCA or the full complement of courses in the Nurse Re-entry Program (NREP) at RRC Polytechnic. These additional criteria include:

• having demonstrated meeting the English language proficiency requirement; and
• having passed the NCLEX-RN within the four-year period immediately before the application date.

A referral from the College is required for both the CCA and the NREP.

If nursing education comparability has not been determined, you will not be referred for a CCA or the NREP and are not be eligible to continue in the application process.

Option A – Clinical Competence Assessment

The CCA gives you the opportunity to demonstrate that you have the knowledge, skills and judgment required of an entry level RN in Manitoba.

Once you are referred for a CCA, you will receive notification by email which will include the contact information needed to schedule your CCA. You will have one year from the date of the referral to complete the CCA

For more information on the CCA, see page 8 of the IEN Handbook.

Option B – CCA or Full NREP (for qualified candidates)

Qualified applicants may also be provided with the option of completing either the CCA OR the full complement of courses in the Nurse Re-Entry Program will be given more specific information on timelines for enrollment and completion of the program at the time of referral. For more information about the program please visit the RRC website.

Upon successful completion of the program, you will be eligible to apply to write the NCLEX-RN and for registration as a Graduate Nurse (GN). If you have previously passed the NCLEX-RN, you will be eligible to apply for RN registration.

Option for Possible Second CCA

If the results of your CCA did not meet expectations, a second CCA may be an option. Candidates have 6 months from the date of decision on registration eligibility to complete a second CCA, as outlined in policy AA-7. If you wish to know more about your eligibility, please contact our registration services team.