Nursing college reveals changes to speed up licensing for internationally trained applicants

The College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba is pledging to make it simpler and faster for internationally trained professionals to start practising here.

The licensing body has created a position dedicated to helping those applicants and begun allowing them to start the registration process while awaiting documentation from overseas entities, among other changes.

“We acknowledge that our processes have been slow to evolve and not always been as efficient or flexible as they could be,” registrar Deb Elias said in a news release unveiling the college’s modernization plan Wednesday.

“We’ve heard from applicants and partners that navigating the system — especially in a province with multiple nursing professions — can be confusing, duplicative and time-consuming.”

The changes, including broadening expedited registration pathways, expanding the use of conditional registrations and establishing a committee to manage complex applications, are effective immediately.

Martin Lussier, public engagement manager for the college, said they will make it more straightforward and flexible for internationally educated nurses (IENs) to enter the workforce with confidence.

Lussier said the overall goal is to make the local IEN application process “much more attractive” so nurses do not seek licensing in another province to fast-track approval in Manitoba.

“For a number of people, that (route) has left them in a position where they were not prepared appropriately for registered nursing practice,” he said.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara welcomed the “overdue steps” to make Manitoba a more attractive place for nurses to work.

“I know it is possible to maintain the highest standards of care and give nurses a clear and straightforward application process,” Asagwara said in a statement.

The college’s announcement was made against the backdrop of a public dispute between Elias and the Manitoba government; the registrar accused the government of prioritizing interprovincial labour mobility over patient safety earlier this month.

Elias cited Asagwara’s April 30 demand to remove barriers to licensing out-of-province nurses. Her office was ordered to align itself with internal trade laws and stop requiring these individuals to have 450 hours of nursing experience in Canada in the past two years or 1,125 hours over the past five years to be registered locally.

The college defended its now-defunct rules as a response to a wave of complaints about competency — such as the inability to take or interpret vital signs — made about professionals approved via its “labour mobility applicant” stream.

“Over the last few days I’ve heard from some nurses who have had their confidence shaken, and so I want nurses to know: you are welcome in Manitoba,” Asagwara said Wednesday.

Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union, applauded the college’s new measures, as well as its recognition that the system has been “unnecessarily rigid” in the past.

“The creation of a dedicated navigation role, increased flexibility in documentation and assessment processes and efforts to reduce delays are tangible steps forward,” said the union leader who represents 13,000 nurses, many of whom are IENs.

Jackson said the union has long advocated for “a more compassionate, efficient and equitable registration process” that recognizes IENs’ diverse experiences and upholds public safety.

“IENs are not the problem — systems that under-prepare and undervalue them are. We want IENs to thrive in Manitoba. We want them respected, supported and safe,” she said. “That means regulation must go hand in hand with wraparound supports in practice settings.”

The regulatory body’s news release touted the changes as a way to reduce duplication, improve clarity and help IEN applicants transition into the workplace faster.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca