IELTS (Ontario, CNO: General or Academic)
- overall
- 7
- listening
- 7
- reading
- 6.5
- writing
- 6.5
- speaking
- 7
Same attempt (One Skill Retake within 60 days allowed). Policy revised 12 Aug 2024.
SourceChecked 29 Oct 2026
Canada
Your journey, step by step
Confidence: medium, some details still being confirmed. Check the regulator's page before you pay.
Your route to Canada
Your route to Canada
Also involved: College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) · BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) · College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) · College of Nursing of New Brunswick (CNNB, formerly NANB) · Quebec (OIIQ)Last checked 29 Oct 2026Confidence: medium, some details still being confirmed. Check the regulator's page before you pay.
Language test · Minimum scores
CELBAN (Ontario, CNO)
- listening
- 9
- reading
- 8
- writing
- 7
- speaking
- 8
Within 2 years of registering.
SourceChecked 29 Oct 2026
OET (Ontario, CNO)
- listening
- B (350)
- reading
- C+ (330)
- writing
- C+ (320)
- speaking
- B (350)
CNO also accepts PTE Academic (L73 R66 W68 S75), TEF Canada and TCF Canada.
SourceChecked 29 Oct 2026
IELTS Academic (Alberta, CRNA)
- overall
- 7
- listening
- 7
- reading
- 6.5
- writing
- 6.5
- speaking
- 7
CRNA accepts only IELTS Academic and CELBAN (L9 R8 W7 S8); valid 2 years.
SourceChecked 29 Oct 2026
Licensing exam
NCLEX-RN (Canada)
- NCSBN via Pearson VUE
- Registration exam for RNs in all provinces except Quebec
SourceChecked 29 Oct 2026
Jurisprudence exam (Ontario)
- College of Nurses of Ontario
- Online exam on Ontario nursing law and standards
SourceChecked 29 Oct 2026
Document verification
National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) advisory report
Your steps
- Choose a province and read its IEN route (Ontario, BC, Alberta differ)
- Get credentials verified: NNAS advisory report, or an approved alternative where allowed
- Pass an accepted English test at that province's scores
- Apply to the provincial regulator; complete any competence assessment (e.g. NCAS)
- Pass NCLEX-RN (and Ontario's jurisprudence exam)
- Register, then apply for a work permit or permanent residence
Official fees
Fees as listed by the regulator on the date shown. Visa, travel and test fees are not included.
- NCLEX-RN registration (Canada): CAD 360 (Plus local taxes; rises to CAD 570 from 1 Feb 2027) · Checked 29 October 2026 · Source
- NCLEX international scheduling fee (Canada): CAD 150 (Plus VAT where applicable) · Checked 29 October 2026 · Source
- CNO initial application fee (IEN): CAD 452 (Includes HST) · Checked 29 October 2026 · Source
- CNO initial registration and first-year membership: CAD 455.39 (Includes HST) · Checked 29 October 2026 · Source
- CNO jurisprudence exam: CAD 45.2 (Includes HST) · Checked 29 October 2026 · Source
Recent changes
- : CNO language proficiency policy revised (IELTS General accepted; OET, PTE, TEF/TCF benchmarks). · Source
- : Alberta lets IENs write NCLEX-RN without a prior costly credential assessment. · Source
- : BC announced a new IEN pathway: province covers fees, NNAS no longer the only assessor. · Source
- : Announced: NCLEX registration fee in Canada rises to CAD 570. · Source
NNAS fees were not confirmed today (nnas.ca not opened); do not quote a figure. Rules differ by province; Ontario and Alberta summarised from official pages, BC from the 2023 government release.
General information from official sources, not legal or immigration advice.