Licensure pathways for internationally educated nurses: An environmental scan of Canadian nursing regulatory bodies

Abstract

Background

Licensure pathways for internationally educated nurses (IENs) in Canada have historically been criticized for being too lengthy, complex, and costly. Reforms to streamline IEN licensure have been inconsistent across Canadian jurisdictions, with limited evidence regarding which licensure pathways best support equitable and ethical regulatory policies for IENs.

Purpose

The present study aimed to map the regulatory landscape to identify key characteristics, similarities, and differences in IEN licensure requirements and explore the options available to meet these requirements across Canadian nursing regulators.

Methods

We conducted an environmental scan of 20 Canadian nursing regulators’ websites. Data were extracted and organized into Excel spreadsheets to facilitate comparisons and were analyzed using directed content analysis.

Results

Findings were organized into two broad categories: licensure requirements and options for meeting these requirements. Licensure requirements were broadly similar across jurisdictions and nursing designations (e.g., licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses), with certain notable exceptions, including recency or currency of practice requirements and expedited pathways available for IENs from specific countries. The options available to meet licensure requirements varied significantly, creating a potentially confusing patchwork of reforms across nursing regulators that could create inequities in IEN licensure and integration.

Conclusion

The variation in options to meet licensure requirements highlights the need for greater efforts to harmonize and simplify IEN licensure across Canada. Further research is required to evaluate the impact and feasibility of reforms to identify long-term, sustainable, ethical, and equitable solutions.