If you are an internationally educated nurse (IEN) practising in Canada, you are eligible to write the CNA certification exam if you have 1,950 hours of experience in your nursing specialty. This experience may be obtained outside of Canada.
To be eligible for CNA certification, IENs practising in Canada, but with work experience outside of Canada, must:
- Be registered or licensed with a Canadian provincial or territorial nursing regulatory college
- Have an endorser who is employed in Canada. The endorser can be a supervisor/consultant, nurse manager, nurse educator, clinical leader, clinical nurse specialist, director of human resources, or physician.
- Meet the experience requirements, with the following accommodations:
- Hours of experience can include those worked in Canada and internationally.
- Specialty education may include education obtained outside of Canada. Certificates provided as proof of education must identify the specialty in either English or French, or in a format (e.g., unlocked PDF file) that permits the CNA Certification Program to copy and paste the text into a translation system for verification.
IENs who do not meet the above criteria can apply as an IEN not practising in Canada.
Read our important dates to learn when you can apply to write the exam for your specialty. If you’re ready to apply, sign in to or create your CNA account. Before applying, you may want to learn more about the application process.