Find out about any upcoming events and keep up to date with the latest NNAS news.

News & Events

Past News/Events
  • News

    Annual General Meeting Notice 2023

     

    National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) will be holding its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. We extend an invitation to you to attend this meeting, see below for details.

     

    2023 Annual General Meeting Notice

    Wednesday, September 20, 2023

    3:00 pm to 4:30 pm ET

    This meeting will be held via videoconference.

    Registration is required.

    To register click here

     

    We look forward to seeing you at the Annual General Meeting. Please do not forget to mark your calendar!

  • News NNAS Expedited Service Now Available

    NNAS Expedited Service Now Available

    As of June 28, 2023, NNAS’s new expedited credentialing service is open to Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) applying to the following regulatory bodies: the Nurses Association of New Brunswick, the College of Registered Nurses and Midwives of Prince Edward Island (PEI), the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan, and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba. With this new service, NNAS Advisory Reports will be released within 5 business days of all documents being received.

    NNAS is pleased to offer a reduced fee of $750 CDN for a single RN and LPN application within the expedited service. You can also select to have your Advisory Report issued to all nursing regulatory bodies participating in the expedited service at no additional cost. This means that applicants will no longer pay an extra fee to have their report issued to multiple regulatory bodies or additional professions. The new reduced fee represents a significant savings for IENs and helps remove some of the barriers previously faced by applicants.

    For more information on how to apply, please see the Expedited Service Applicant Handbook here. When you are ready to start the application process, click here and follow the instructions to create your account.

    NNAS recognizes the valuable education and skills IENs bring to Canada’s healthcare system. The improvements introduced by this new service are designed to support IENs and the work of regulators to make the application process faster, simpler, and safe. We look forward to partnering with all regulatory bodies to take advantage of this more efficient process.

     

    UPDATE Effective July 26, 2023: We are excited to share that The Saskatchewan Association of Licensed Practical Nurses and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Newfoundland & Labrador will also be participating in the new Expedited Service.

  • News

    Government of Canada announces new immigration stream specific to health workers

    The Government of Canada announced new changes to the Express Entry program to advance efforts to retain and recruit health workers to address the health workforce crisis.

    The Express Entry program will now be able to issue invitations to apply for permanent residence in Canada to candidates with specific skills and training, including nurses. The first round for category-based selection will open on June 28, 2023 and will invite 500 health workers to apply. A second round will take place on July 5, 2023 and will invite 1,500 health workers to apply. These category-based selection rounds will continue throughout the year.

    To read the Government of Canada announcement, click here.

    To find out more about the Express Entry rounds of invitation including eligibility requirements for nurses, click here.

  • News

    NNAS Makes it Faster and Easier for Internationally Educated Nurses to Start Licensing Process in Canada

     


    TORONTO, June 21, 2023 /CNW/ – The National Nursing Assessment Services (NNAS) announces today the launch of a new, expedited credentialing service for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs). This positive change is being introduced in partnership with the Nurses Association of New Brunswick, the College of Registered Nurses and Midwives of Prince Edward Island (PEI), the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan, and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba.

    NNAS is the starting point for IENs interested in becoming licensed or registered in Canada. With this new service, NNAS advisory reports will now be issued in participating provinces within no more than 5 days of all documents being received. The advisory reports compile and authenticate the documentation regulators require from IENs to begin the licensing process. They also show how the applicants’ international education compares to Canadian nursing competencies.

    This new, faster process is possible in part because the service will now review only the most essential documentation and build upon NNAS’s 10 years of experience and extensive consultation with regulatory bodies, governments, experts and IENs.

    “We are pleased to partner with provincial regulators to make it faster for IENs to have their documents verified and start the licensing process more quickly, while still maintaining important safeguards to protect the integrity of our healthcare system,” says Gayle Waxman, Executive Director, NNAS. We have the infrastructure to offer timely service to IENs from around the globe and the experience to do so effectively. We look forward to partnering with all regulatory bodies to take advantage of this more efficient process.”

    NNAS recognizes the valuable education and skills IENs bring. In the past, it has been a long road for some IENs interested in practicing here in Canada. Issuing NNAS advisory reports within no more than 5 days of all documents being received will dramatically decrease the time required for one of the key steps in the process for IENs applying to be licensed in Canada.

    “We are proud to commit to working with NNAS to assess the qualifications of IEN applicants looking to live and work in our province,” says Denise LeBlanc-Kwaw, CEO & Registrar of NANB. “We feel this approach is in the best interests of our healthcare system and ensures we are doing what we can to set IENs up for success.”

    IENs are contributing to Canada’s healthcare system and are playing an important role. The improvements NNAS is introducing are designed to support IENs and the work of regulators to make the application process fast, simple, and safe.

     

    Media Contact:
    Tara Ferreira, Executive Coordinator, NNAS
    tferreira@nnas.ca
    647-265-0737

     

    About NNAS:
    The National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) is a Canadian not-for-profit organization that offers a streamlined process for IENs to apply for Canadian nursing registration. NNAS is committed to working with provincial regulatory bodies to continue empowering IENs along their path to practice in Canada.

     

    NNAS – Expedited Service Launch – English – June 21, 2023

  • News NANB Launches Expedited Service for Applicants to New Brunswick

    NANB Launches Expedited Service for Applicants to New Brunswick

    NNAS is pleased to offer a new simplified and faster credentialing service for applicants to the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB).  The Expedited Service is based on a streamlined set of requirements.  With this new service, NNAS advisory reports will now be issued to NANB within 24 hours of all documents being received (unless further investigation is required).

     

    All applicants currently identifying NANB as a recipient of their Advisory Report will automatically be transferred to the Expedited Service. No action on the part of applicants with an open application is required.  NNAS will be contacting applicants who have identified NANB as a recipient of their Advisory Report with more information.

     

    The transition to the new service will take place over the next few weeks.  Initially, the introduction of this simplified service may result in a higher than usual volume of applications being released to NANB.  We ask for your cooperation and patience as the regulator adjusts to the new service.

     

    NNAS is pleased to work in partnership with NANB on this new, faster service.  We look forward to working with other regulators in the near future.

     

    NNAS recognizes the valuable education and skills IENs bring. This new streamlined process will remove barriers for IENs to apply their skills in New Brunswick, while also protecting the safety of our health care system.

     

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EXPEDITED SERVICE FOR NEW BRUNSWICK

     

    Who will this new, faster service apply to?

    It will apply to all current and new NNAS applicants identifying NANB in their application.  This will happen automatically, and you do not need to take any further action.

     

    I am a current applicant and have applied to NANB.  What do I do?

    You do not need to do anything.  Your application will automatically be transferred to the new service.  You will be receiving a communication this week with more details.

     

    What are the requirements?

    NNAS’s faster service is possible because we have reduced the requirements and documentation applicants must submit.  For example, applicants will no longer submit their curriculum or undergo an individual curricular assessment.   More detailed information will posted on our website and communicated to applicants shortly.

     

    Your report will be issued to NANB within 1 day of all documents being received.

     

    Will I need to submit my curriculum to NNAS for an application to NANB?

    No.  You will not be required to submit curriculum for an application to NANB and NNAS will not conduct a curricular assessment.

     

    Do I need to mail in my identification documents, or can I submit them electronically?

    You can now upload your identification documents directly into NNAS’s portal.  This should save time and money.

     

    Will this service be available for other provinces or regulators?

    We anticipate that the service will be available in the near future for regulatory bodies wishing to participate.  Future announcements will be posted on NNAS’s website.  We will also communicate directly with applicants who have selected any participating regulators as part of their application.

     

    Where can I find more information?

    You will be able to find more information in the Expedited Service Applicant Handbook which will be available online in the near future. You can also check for updates on NNAS’s website at www.nnas.ca.

     

    Where do I go if I have questions?

    You can contact Applicant Support at support@nnas.ca or call toll free (in Canada and United States) 855-977-1898 Monday to Friday from 8:00 am ET to 4:00 pm ET.

     

    Who can I contact if I have contacted Applicant Support but I am still facing barriers?

    You can contact the Applicant Navigator Team at NNAS at applicantnavigator@nnas.ca.  The Applicant Navigator Team is there to assist applicants who have contacted Applicant Support but find they are still facing challenges to completing the process.