Saskatchewan
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?
NNAS needed
Application cost
$525
Application (total)
Yearly license cost
$558.71
Do you need NNAS here?
Yes — NNAS results are needed before you can even create an account here.
Who licenses nurses here
RN, LPN, and RPN each have their own separate licensing office. This page covers the RN office, the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRNS).
English test accepted
CELBAN, IELTS Academic, OET, or PTE Academic, confirmed directly from CRNS. You can skip testing if you've worked at least 1 year in an English-speaking healthcare role (care aide, LPN, or RN) — confirmed with an employer attestation form — or completed a recognized Canadian RN re-entry program.
- 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
A current Canadian criminal record check no more than 6 months old — from local police, the RCMP, or CSI Background Screening — plus an International Criminal Records Check if you've worked as an RN outside the country in the last 10 years.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Do you need NNAS?
NNAS needed
IEN application fee
$300
Registration / licence
$450
The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Saskatchewan (CLPNS) — formerly SALPN.
- Do you need NNAS?: Required.
- IEN application fee: $300.
- Practising / graduate licensure renewal (due on/before Dec 1): $450; non-practising certification $60; late fee $100.
- Licensing exam: CPNRE — $600 per writing.
- English test: IELTS and CELBAN.
- Criminal record check: Dated within the last 6 months, from the RCMP or local police.
Good to know
CLPNS has posted a notice of targeted fee increases for 2027, so re-check these figures for a 2027 application.
Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN)
Do you need NNAS?
NNAS needed
IEN application fee
$400*
Registration / licence
$1,003.14
The Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Saskatchewan (RPNAS), rebranding to the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRPNS).
- Do you need NNAS?: Required — the mandatory first step.
- Application fee: $200; International Application Fee $400.
- Practising registration (Jan 1–Dec 31, first half of year): $1,003.14; GPN membership $334.38. CNPS liability protection $96.86.
- Licensing exam: RPNCE — $695 + HST; hand-scoring $100.
- English test: CELBAN (Speaking 8, Listening 9, Reading 8, Writing 7); IELTS Academic (Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 6.5, Writing 6.5, Overall 7); OET; PTE Academic (Speaking 75, Listening 73, Reading 66, Writing 68).
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.