Nurse Registration Process in Alberta: College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA)

Jurisdiction Eligibility

CRNA has two pathways for registration:

• Expedited Pathway: For nurses from countries with substantially equivalent nursing education and standards to Alberta, such as:
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • India
• Traditional Pathway: For nurses from all other countries, who may be required to complete additional training or assessments.

This equivalence may help streamline the registration process but does not eliminate the need for credential verification and competency assessments.

NNAS Advisory Report

Your credentials must be evaluated through the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS). The Advisory Report assesses your nursing education and work experience against Canadian standards. You will need to:

• Create an NNAS account and submit required documents such as nursing transcripts and license verifications.
• Choose between two NNAS service options:
  • Expedited Service: Applicants receive their advisory report within 5 days after submitting a complete application.
  • Regular Service: This process takes longer and may have additional requirements, such as employer confirmation.
• Wait for the NNAS Advisory Report, which CRNA will use to determine your eligibility.

Note: CRNA has recently partnered with NNAS to offer the expedited service option, streamlining the process for eligible applicants. To learn more, click here.

If required, you may need to obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a designated organization recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). A list of approved organizations can be found on the Government of Canada website. The CRNA website also provides details on credential assessment requirements.

CRNA may require you to demonstrate your nursing competency:

Work Experience Documentation

Your previous employers must provide records detailing clinical duties, patient care responsibilities, and supervisory roles. Applicants from designated countries must attest to meeting practice currency requirements and language proficiency.

Competency-Based Assessment (CBA)

If CRNA identifies gaps in your education or experience, you may need to complete a Competency-Based Assessment (CBA), administered by Touchstone Institute through the Registered Nurses Canadian Competence Assessment Program (RNCCAP). This assessment consists of:

• • Computer-Based Assessment: Evaluates theoretical knowledge.
  • Simulation Lab Assessment: Tests hands-on practical skills.
  • Oral Assessment: Assesses clinical decision-making and communication.

All applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirement. IENs from designated countries must attest to meeting this requirement.

For IENs from non-designated countries, acceptable options include:

• Language Testing:

  • IELTS Academic: Minimum score of 7.0 in all bands.

  • CELBAN: Minimum scores of Listening (10), Speaking (8), Reading/Writing (7).

  • Other accepted tests: OET, Pearson (PTE) Academic.

• Education in English: Completion of nursing or non-nursing education where instruction was primarily in English within a set time frame.

• Recent Practice in English: Registration as an RN in the past 2 years in a jurisdiction where healthcare services are provided in English.

• Employer Confirmation: If applicable, an employer may confirm English proficiency based on recent work in a healthcare setting.

Check the CRNA English Language Proficiency section for full details.

A Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check must be completed within six months of your application to ensure compliance with ethical and professional standards.

Once CRNA confirms eligibility, applicants must pass the NCLEX-RN, a computer-adaptive exam assessing clinical knowledge and decision-making.