Third-party authorization to release information

NNAS protects your privacy and will only ever discuss your application with you. If you wish for NNAS to discuss your application with any other person, you must submit a third-party authorization form to designate that person. 

The form must be sent to NNAS by mail or courier. It may be cancelled at any time by sending a letter to NNAS by mail or courier. NNAS only keeps one mailing address on file per application. All correspondence from NNAS will be sent to that one address.

Falsified or altered documents

If NNAS determines that any of your documents have been falsified or altered in any way, it will report these findings and send your Advisory Report with all documents submitted by you to the regulatory body you have designated. 

Incomplete, altered or false documents may result in your NNAS application being cancelled or delayed. If your Advisory Report is still issued, NNAS will report these findings to any nursing regulatory body you have selected as part of your application.

To review NNAS’s Fraudulent/Irregular Documents Policy, click here.

Notarized identification documents

For both the Expedited Service and the Regular Service, you must submit two forms of identification directly to NNAS. 

Your identification documents must be notarized, copies of original documents (signed, dated, and stamped) complete with your signature. You must be with the notary at the time your original documents are copied and notarized as certified true copies. NNAS does not accept original identity documents. 

• In Canada, notarized copies must be prepared by a notary public or a lawyer. 
• Outside of Canada, notarized copies must be prepared by a government-approved official. 

They must apply their official signature and seal to each reviewed document, include their address and phone number and declare in a written statement that they have seen the original documents, made the copies, can certify that they are true copies, and confirm that they are not in any way related to the applicant. 

You are responsible for all fees related to preparing your notarized documents. Copies of expired identification documents will not be accepted. At least one form of identification must contain your photo and it must be current and not expired. 

Acceptable forms of photo identification include: 

• Passport 
• Driver’s licence 
• Other government-issued identification 

Other acceptable forms of identification include: 

• Birth certificate 
• Legal name change affidavit 
• Marriage certificate 
• Divorce decree (Decree Absolute) 

If any of these original documents are written in a language other than English or French, they must be translated by a certified translator into either English or French. The translated documents must be sent to NNAS directly from the translator. You are responsible for any costs involved in the translation process.

Translation options

Translations can be done in three ways: 

• By an approved source agency (for example, a school or licensing authority) 
• By a certified translator 
• By NNAS (with relevant fees). All translated documents must include: 
  • The translator’s official stamp and/or identification number, address, phone number, and the date of translation. 
  • A statement by the translator that it is a true representation of original document(s). 
  • The printed name and original signature of the translator. 

NNAS will not accept documents translated by either the applicant or anyone related to the applicant. All certified translations must be mailed to NNAS directly from the translator. 

NNAS will confirm that all names on your identification documents match. If they do not, you will need to send additional documents to explain why.

NNAS requires that your submitted identity documents are notarized, for both Expedited and Regular Services. 

A notary public or lawyer is authorized by the government to certify that the documents you provide are true copies of the original. They apply their official signature and seal to each document they review and declare in a written statement that they are not in any way related to you. 

1. In Canada, notarized copies must be prepared by a notary public or a lawyer. 
2. Outside of Canada, each country has different authorities to certify documents. Notarized copies must be prepared by an official who has the legal authority to certify true copies of identity documents. Check with your local authorities to be sure. 
3. You and your family members cannot certify copies of your documents. 

A notarized copy must include the following: 

• The signature and seal of the notary public, along with their address and phone number, in case NNAS has to contact them. 
• The date the copy was notarized. 
• A written statement that the notary public has seen the originals, made the copies, and certifies that they are true copies of original documents. If your country, state or province does not have a process for certifying true copies, please contact Applicant Support for the process your documents can be certified. 

NNAS is pleased to offer the new, streamlined Expedited Service. It allows applicants to begin the credentialling process for becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at the same time for a single price. 

NNAS Advisory Reports are released within five business days of all documents being received through the Expedited Service. Your nursing education is assessed at the country level. This saves you time and money as you do not have to arrange for your curriculum to be sent to NNAS. Learn more about the Expedited Service here.

Details about the documents you do need to submit or arrange to be submitted appear below.

Notarized identification

For both the Expedited Service and the Regular Service, you must submit two forms of notarized identification directly to NNAS. This can be done through the application portal. See the section at the top of this page for more information regarding acceptable forms of identification, notarization, and translation. 

Course-by-Course Assessment Report

The Expedited Service requires applicants to submit a Course-by-Course Assessment Report from an organization approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The assessment may also be referred to as a “Postsecondary Comprehensive Assessment Report” or a “Specialized Assessment Report.”  

NNAS applicants can choose to have a Course-by-Course Assessment Report completed from one of the following IRCC-approved organizations: 

• Comparative Education Service (CES) 
• International Credential Assessment Service (ICAS) 
• International Credential Evaluation Services (ICES) 
• World Education Services (WES) 

Applicants are responsible for the cost of the Course-by-Course Assessment Report. Please visit these organizations’ websites for more information. 

Once you have completed your Course-by-Course Assessment Report you will need to request it be sent directly to NNAS from the relevant third party either by mail or digitally. Instructions on how to do this are found in the applicant portal.

First and current nursing licenses

All nursing licenses/registrations must be disclosed, however documentation is only required for your first and current nursing license. Not disclosing all nursing registrations may cause delays and may result in your application being cancelled. 

Download and print the Nursing Registration Form, including Part B (“Nursing Examination and Registration Information”) and Part C (“Identification of Official”) from the applicant portal.  

After signing Part A, send the form(s) to the nursing licensing authority or authorities where you obtained your first and current license/registration. Ask them to complete the form and send it by mail or courier directly to NNAS. A third party must include the organization’s name, return address, and official seal or stamp on documents sent to NNAS. We encourage you to communicate early with your third parties to ensure the process moves smoothly.  

Important clarifications about nursing licenses

• If you were licensed as a midwife before being licensed as a nurse outside of Canada, your first license for the NNAS Expedited Service is your nursing license, not your midwifery license. Please ensure your first nursing license is submitted for your application or you may experience delays with your application.  
• If the jurisdiction or country of your initial nursing program does not issue licenses but your diploma gives you the right to practice, you will need to request your diploma be submitted to NNAS by your educational institution. Your diploma will be considered your first license as part of the NNAS Expedited Service.  
• If you currently hold two nursing licenses in two different jurisdictions, you will need to request the required documentation from both nursing licensing authorities.

The Regular Service is available if you are not eligible for the Expedited Service. Begin the credentialing process for becoming a Registered Nurse (RN), Practical Nurse (LPN), or Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN). Learn more about the Regular Service here.

Details about the documents you need to submit or arrange to be submitted appear below.

Notarized identification

For both the Expedited Service and the Regular Service, you must submit two forms of notarized identification directly to NNAS. This can be done through the application portal. See the sections at the top of this page for more information regarding acceptable forms of identification, notarization, and translation.

Nursing education forms

From the applicant portal, download and print the Nursing Education Form, which includes Part A (signed by you) and Part B and C (completed by the school).  

Send a Nursing Education Form to each school where you completed your nursing education. Ask the school official who is authorized to provide the official transcripts to complete the forms and send them directly to NNAS by mail or courier. They must also send copies of your academic records/official transcripts, and your nursing program curriculum, syllabus, or course descriptions. When you send your nursing education form to your school, we suggest that you encourage your school to provide as much information about your courses as possible.  

If the person submitting the information about your courses is not the school official who is authorized to provide the official transcripts, the name and signature of this person must be provided as well.  

NNAS compares the curriculum submitted by the school(s) to Canadian Entry to Practice Competencies. This is done using a process called content analysis. This process helps us identify the differences and gaps in your education. The results of the content analysis will be tabulated and scored, with your curriculum described as being either comparable, somewhat comparable, or not comparable to Canadian Entry to Practice Competencies. NNAS does not determine equivalency of education—it produces only these comparisons. 

These descriptions also do not represent a decision. The regulatory bodies to which you apply will review your Advisory Report and make their decisions based on your entire application.

Employment form

From the applicant portal, download and print the Nursing Practice/Employment Form, including Part B (“Employer Information”) and Part C (“Identification of Employer Supervisor”).  

Send a form to each employer where you worked as a nurse during the last five calendar years. The forms must be completed by officials authorized to provide your nursing employment information. Ask them to complete the forms and send them directly to NNAS by mail or courier.

Nursing registration form

From the applicant portal, download and print the Nursing Registration Form, including Part B (“Nursing Examination and Registration Information”) and Part C (“Identification of Official”) from your online account.  

Send a form to each nursing authority, including Canadian authorities, where you obtained a licence/registration (even if the licence is no longer active). Ask them to complete the form and send it by mail or courier directly to NNAS.  

The Nursing Registration Form must be completed by officials authorized to provide registration/licensing information. 

As of October 14, 2022, NNAS no longer collects language proficiency test scores. Instead, all applicants must submit proof of language proficiency directly to regulatory bodies as part of the regulator’s review process. This change is part of NNAS’s initiative to streamline its processes. Please check with the regulatory body to find out about what they require.

Please also check the website for the nursing regulator in the province where you intend to practice for information about their specific language requirements.

• https://ccpnr.ca/regulators-collaborative/
• https://www.celbancentre.ca/
• https://ielts.org/
• https://oet.com/

The purpose of the NNAS application process is to create an Advisory Report that includes all documents that have been submitted and verified by NNAS and any correspondence you have had with NNAS.

For the Expedited Service

After your completed application is reviewed, a single Expedited Advisory Report will be prepared. This Advisory Report is applicable for both RN and LPN professions.

With the new Expedited Service, NNAS aims to issue your Expedited Advisory Report within 5 business days of receiving your last document. 

When your Advisory Report is complete, you will receive an email letting you know that it is ready. You can then download the report and apply to the regulatory body (or bodies) of your choice. 

Please note that your Advisory Report is valid for one year from the date it is issued. It is important to apply to the regulatory body (or bodies) of your choice during that year or you will need to re-apply to NNAS. You can download a copy of your Advisory Report anytime for one year from the date it was issued. After that time, you will not be able to access a copy. 

• While each applicant’s circumstances are unique, applicants can expect to complete the new Expedited Service in a significantly reduced amount of time given that fewer documents are required. 
• Many applicants find it easier to get the documents they need while still living in the country where the documents were issued (instead of waiting until they move to Canada). 

For the Regular Service

NNAS aims to issue your Advisory Report within 12 weeks of receiving your last document. When your Advisory Report is complete, you will receive an email letting you know that it is ready. You can then download the report and apply to the regulatory bodies of your choice directly from the NNAS Applicant Portal.