Regular Service
Start the credentialing process for becoming a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), or Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN).
Participating regulators
The following regulatory bodies participate in the Regular Service:
- College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO)
- College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA)
- College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta (CRPNA)
- College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba (CRPNM)
- Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Saskatchewan (RPNAS)
- British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM), RPN only
Application process for the Regular Service
There are four steps to an NNAS application
- Create your account and agree to the Terms and Conditions
- Submit information & pay fees
- Submit required documents
- Monitor status and receive Advisory Report
The sections below detail these steps:
Step 1: Create your account and agree to the Terms and Conditions
Every applicant must create an online account with NNAS.
You will need to:
• Provide your email address
• Create three security questions
• Review and agree to the Terms and Conditions
• Enter the security code sent to your email address
• Create a password
Step 2: Submit information & pay fees
Once your account is set up, you’ll be asked to provide information in our portal.
This includes information like your name and address, work history, education and more. The NNAS portal will save your progress so you can complete these sections at your own pace. Once you have filled out all the necessary information, you will gain access to the payment screen.
Important note around document completeness
The documents you provide or are provided on your behalf to NNAS must be true and complete. Please be sure to disclose all information you are asked to provide. Incomplete, altered or false information and/or documents will result in your application being cancelled or delayed.
NNAS accepts VISA or Mastercard for payment. Debit cards are not accepted.
On the payment screen, please review the terms and conditions. Please also carefully read any notices and instructions. Clicking on the ‘Make Payment’ button will open a new webpage for our payment processor (Moneris).
After each attempt to charge your credit card, you will receive an email confirmation message within five minutes from Moneris and be returned to the NNAS portal. If the page fails to return to the portal, an email will still be sent. Check your email before attempting payment again to avoid being charged multiple times.
If your payment confirmation email is approved but is not reflected in the portal, DO NOT ATTEMPT ANOTHER PAYMENT. Instead, please contact us at +1-855-977-1898 or via email at support@nnas.ca. If you do not receive a ‘Transaction Approved’ email or the email says your credit card payment was declined, please log back into your account and try again with a valid credit card.
Step 3: Submit documents
After your payment has been verified, you will gain access to the document submission screens. Here, you will be able to download forms and submit certain documents to NNAS.
Please note that most documents must be sent to NNAS by Third Parties—not by you. Documents can be submitted digitally or by mail. We encourage those submitting documents to do so digitally wherever possible.
An overview appears below, but please refer to the Applicant Handbook for specific details on each type of document.
Document: Two forms of notarized identification
Who submits: You submit these documents directly to NNAS.
Not all forms of ID are accepted. Click the button below to read more about identification.
Document: Nursing education forms
Who submits: Nursing school official who is authorized to provide transcripts and curriculums. You must print the forms from the portal, fill out the specified parts, then mail the forms to your nursing school or schools.
The authorized school official will then submit the form and all other required documentation to NNAS.
Document: Employment Form
Who submits: Employers. You must print the forms from the portal, fill out the specified part, then mail the forms to your employers. Only send the forms to employers of nursing positions you’ve held during the past five years.
Document: Nursing Registration Form
Who submits: An official from a licensing authority outside of Canada. You must print the forms from the portal, fill out the specified parts, then mail the forms to all nursing licensing authorities where you were ever licensed or registered outside of Canada.
The authorized licensing authority will then submit the form and all other required documentation to NNAS.
Step 4: Monitor status and receive Advisory Report
The purpose of the NNAS application process is to create an Advisory Report that contains all the documents that have been submitted and verified by NNAS and any correspondence you have had with NNAS.
You will be able to monitor the status of your application through the application portal. This allows you to see when documents are received by NNAS as well as the status of their review.
When your Advisory Report is complete, you will receive an email telling you it is available. You can then go into the NNAS portal, download a copy and apply to the regulatory body or bodies of your choice.
Once you receive your Advisory Report, you can apply to the regulatory body of your choice. Your Advisory Report will automatically be sent to the regulatory body (or bodies) you have selected.
Waiting for Required Documents: This means NNAS is waiting to receive all the required documents from you and/or Third Parties.
Ready for Review: All required documents have been received and an evaluator will be assigned to review your application.
Ready for Final Review: Your application is undergoing a final quality assurance review.
Report Issued: You have completed the NNAS process and your Advisory Report is complete and available.
Timeline
Once all documents are received, your Advisory Report will be issued in 12 weeks provided no further clarification is needed.
Once you receive your Advisory Report, you can apply to the regulatory body in the province of your choice directly from the NNAS portal. Each regulatory body has their own requirements and timelines for registration. Please refer to the regulatory body’s website for more information.
Still have questions?
Still have questions about the application processes, timeline, documents, or anything else? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.
