Quebec needs nurses - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | April 8, 2014
Dear Ms Powell,
I am a nurse from Jamaica and I have been working at a hospital for the past seven years. Are there any programmes in Canada for nurses? What immigration programme would suit me? Is it easy to find nursing jobs in Canada? How much would a nurse make?
- LC
Dear LC,
The Canadian Nurses Association has predicted that a staggering 60,000 nurses will be needed by 2022 to deal with labour shortages in Canada.
Registered Nurses would be required to fill positions such as:
❏ Nurse practitioners
❏ Nurse researchers
❏ Specialised nurses (burn patient, dialysis, cardiology, nephrology)
❏ Nurse instructors
❏ Psychiatric nurses
❏ Nurse technicians
Nursing is one of the careers that require an individual to have a licence to practise in the province that they choose to live. There is no national registration; therefore, you must be registered by the regulatory nursing college or association in the province in which you intend to work. You would need to contact the regulatory body for the province where you would like to work to find out the requirements.
Options
There are various ways that someone may come to Canada to work as a nurse, such as through family sponsorship, temporary work permit or permanently, under the Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) programme. A popular website for nursing jobs is www.nursingcareerscanada.ca.
Nursing in Quebec
You may apply under the QSW option to move to Canada as a nurse. This programme offers internationally trained nurses the opportunity to live and work in Quebec to fulfil the high demand for nurses in that province. The QSW programme does not require family sponsorship or an offer of employment.
A nursing professional may now earn up to 16 points towards their overall QSW point requirement. This represents the highest possible amount of points that can be awarded for any area of training/field of study. Once you are successful in your application, you will be eligible to receive Canadian permanent residency status.
If you are interested in this programme you should submit your application immediately. The application process is very competitive and the government will only be accepting 6,500 applications between April 2014 and March 31, 2015.
Also, you should note that applicants planning to apply as Quebec Skilled Workers should have a genuine intention of settling in the Province of Quebec. Quebec is a French-speaking province and a high allocation of points is awarded for those who are proficient in French.
Some of the other requirements are:
1. Must complete a three-year degree in nursing
2. Full-time work experience within the last five years
3. Applicants ages 18-25 will be awarded top points (less points if you are older)
4. If married, spouse's age and education will add bonus points
5. Additional points are awarded for having children
Nurses in Quebec can receive an average salary ranging between $50,000 and $60,000 a year. Because of nursing shortages throughout the province, there are many opportunities to earn even more.
Deidre S. Powell is a lawyer, mediator, and notary public who is a member of the Jamaican and Ontario, Canada bars, with main office located in Ottawa, Ontario. Her areas of practice are in immigration, personal injury, commercial, family, and administration of estates. She is on the roster of mediators for Ottawa, Toronto, and the Dispute Resolution Foundation of Jamaica. Submit your questions and comments to: Email: info@deidrepowell.com. Subject line: Immigration. Tel: 613-695-8777
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