Newfoundland and Labrador
Quick facts for internationally educated nurses. Pick your designation below. For the full step-by-step guide, start with Before You Apply.
Registered Nurse (RN)
Do you need NNAS?
No NNAS
Application cost
$172.50
Application (tax included) — the lowest of any province checked
Yearly license cost
$412.47
Do you need NNAS here?
Key fact
No, and there are several options here: WES, CES, ICAS, IQAS, ICES, or NNAS are all accepted ways to get your degree assessed. NNAS is just one of six choices, not a requirement.
Who licenses nurses here
As of April 2026, one office — the Newfoundland and Labrador College of Nurses (NLCN) — handles RN, LPN, and RPN licensing together.
English test accepted
CELBAN or IELTS Academic. There are also several ways to skip the test entirely — education completed in English, prior Canadian registration, registration in the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand, or recent English-language work experience.
- CELBAN: Listening 9, Writing 7, Reading 8, Speaking 8
- IELTS Academic: Listening 7.0, Writing 6.5, Reading 6.5, Speaking 7.0, Overall 7.0
Criminal record check
Every province requires a criminal record check as part of your application to them, not to NNAS. It's checked at the provincial regulator stage, after your NNAS step.
Heads up
It has to be dated within 6 months of your application, so timing matters. If you're applying from outside Canada, you generally need a separate check for every country you've lived in — not just your current one — which is easy to miss and can add real time if you don't plan for it. If your check comes back in a language other than English, you'll need an official certified translation.
Good to know
Accepted sources typically include your local police service, the RCMP, or an approved Canadian background screening company.
Good to know
An original criminal record check dated within 6 months, accepted from local or national police services, or Canadian background screening organizations such as CSI Screening.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Do you need NNAS?
NNAS needed
IEN application fee
See note
Registration / licence
$375
The Newfoundland and Labrador College of Nurses (NLCN) — the LPN track was formerly CLPNNL.
- Do you need NNAS?: Required for internationally educated LPN applicants (an Education Credential Assessment from designated organizations is also referenced).
- Initial licensure fee: $433.16 (includes professional liability coverage).
- Annual licensure (2026–27): $375 (includes liability protection); pro-rated (Dec 1–Mar 31) $261.05.
- English test: IELTS Academic and CELBAN; valid 2 years, recommended current within 6 months at initial application.
- Criminal record check: Within the last 6 months; CSI Screening Enhanced CRC recommended, delivered electronically to the College.
Needs verification
The IEN-specific LPN application processing fee isn't separately published. The Canadian LPN application processing fee is $231.04 (incl HST); confirm the IEN-specific figure directly with NLCN.
Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN)
Registered Psychiatric Nurse isn't a separately regulated profession in Newfoundland and Labrador. RPN as a distinct profession exists only in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
Good to know
Your employer may pay this back. Once you're licensed and working, many Canadian employers reimburse your annual license renewal fee, either fully or in part. This is common in unionized health authority positions and is often written into the collective agreement, but it's rarely advertised, so a lot of nurses never claim it.
Two places to ask: your employer's HR or benefits department, and your union representative. If you're unionized, check your collective agreement directly — look for professional fees, licensing, or professional development.
Worth doing early. Some employers require you to submit the claim within a set window after you pay, so knowing the process before your next renewal is better than finding out after.