Trained in the Philippines?
The verification body, documents, English-test position, and NNAS shortcuts for nurses educated in the Philippines, on the way to a Canadian licence.
Which body verifies my registration?
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). prc.gov.ph/profession/nursing ↗
Heads up
PRC verification requires an in-person appointment through the LERIS system, and PRC operates a no-same-day-appointment policy. Book early — this is a common source of delay.
What documents do I need?
PRC completes State Board Verification. Your nursing school sends transcripts and course descriptions directly to NNAS. Education is in English, so translation is generally not required.
Do I need an English test?
The Philippines is not on the UK NMC majority-English list, but Ontario (CNO) and BC (BCCNM) both accept nursing education taught and examined in English as proof of proficiency. Most Filipino-trained nurses can avoid CELBAN or IELTS.
Can I skip NNAS?
Not in the four NNAS provinces. Alberta's CRNA comparability pathway includes the Philippines.
Which Canadian designation will I map to?
Filipino nurses are BSN-educated and typically map to RN. Psychiatric nursing in the Philippines is a post-RN specialization, not a separate registration, so it does not map to the Canadian RPN.
Needs verification
Designation mapping is decided case by case by the regulator you apply to. Use the notes above as orientation, not a guarantee.
Province shortcuts
Alberta — CRNA comparability pathway
CRNA accepts nurses educated in the United States, the Philippines, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, Nigeria, Jamaica, New Zealand, and Ireland. CRNA states this “represents 94 per cent of IENs who have applied for licensure in Alberta in the past five years.” This covers all eight countries on this site. nurses.ab.ca ↗
Heads up
Nova Scotia's expedited pathway for nurses licensed in the Philippines, India, Nigeria, the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand was paused to new applicants effective January 20, 2025, with no reopening date announced. It has not reopened. The regular NNAS route remains open. Note the regulator has also rebranded: the Nova Scotia College of Nursing is now the Nova Scotia Nursing and Midwifery Regulator (NSNMR), formed June 30, 2026. Use nsnmr.ca ↗.
How NNAS works
NNAS Expedited Service costs $750 CAD, covers RN and LPN together in one application, and issues the Advisory Report within five business days of receiving the last document. Regular Service begins at $650 USD (NNAS estimates approximately $845 CAD) for one profession and one regulator. The Registered Psychiatric Nurse pathway runs through Regular Service only, not Expedited.
Heads up
The CAD figure for Regular Service is NNAS's own approximate conversion and moves with the exchange rate. Treat it as an estimate, not a fixed price.
Key fact
NNAS stopped collecting language test scores on October 14, 2022. Proof of language proficiency now goes directly to your provincial regulator, not to NNAS.
Key fact
You cannot submit your own education or registration verification forms. Your school and your licensing authority must send them to NNAS directly. Translations must also be mailed directly by the translator, not by you or anyone related to you.
Which provinces require NNAS? Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan. Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Newfoundland & Labrador do not.
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