Canada Immigration for Nurses: Pathway for Vietnamese Nurses

Canada immigration as a nurse is a practical pathway for many Vietnamese nurses, as the country faces a prolonged healthcare labour shortage and continues to hold dedicated draws for the healthcare category. However, to follow the right pathway, you need to clearly understand the NOCoccupation code, how Canada prioritizes nursing in category-based selection draws of Express Entry, the licensing registration requirements and the minimum English level. This article, compiled by the My Second World team from Canadian government sources, will help you picture the journey from a nurse working in Vietnam to holding a permanent resident card.

Canada immigration as a nurse and NOC code 31301

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) system is how Canada assigns each occupation a code and a TEER skill level. For nursing, the most important code is NOC 31301 – Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses), under TEER level 1. This is a high skill level, usually requiring a bachelor’s degree and licensing registration with a provincial regulatory body.

Identifying the correct NOC code is very important, as it determines whether you are eligible for the priority category and forms the basis for declaring work experience. Besides NOC 31301, some related healthcare occupations have their own codes, for example nursing aides or home support workers at a lower TEER level. Therefore, before submitting an application, you should look up the exact occupation code using the Canadian government’s NOC search tool to avoid a misdeclaration that leads to refusal.

Nursing in the healthcare category of Express Entry

Express Entry is the federal system for managing skilled worker immigration profiles, based on three programs: Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Trades. Candidates are scored under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and those with the highest scores receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in the draws. For nurses specifically, a major advantage lies in the category-based selection (category-based selection).

Theo Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)mechanism, Canada holds dedicated draws for candidates with experience in priority sectors, including the “healthcare and social services” category. This means a Registered Nurse (NOC 31301) may be invited at a lower CRS score than in a general draw, since competition occurs only within that category. This is precisely the key advantage that makes Canada immigration as a nurse much more feasible than many other occupations.

The healthcare and social services category was re-established for 2025 with an updated occupation list based on labour market data, and according to IRCC’s announcement, Canada continues to maintain this category in 2026 to address the long-term labour shortage. To understand more deeply how Canada selects priorities and recent changes, you can refer to our article on the 2026 Express Entry priority categories and Express Entry reforms.

Basic requirements for Canada immigration as a nurse

Before addressing professional licensing requirements, you need to meet the general conditions of Express Entry. One important point to note: according to IRCC’s announcement, starting in 2026, the minimum experience requirement for category-based selection has been raised from 6 months to 1 year of work in an eligible occupation, accumulated within the past 3 years, in Canada or abroad.

• Work experience: at least 1 year continuous or accumulated in the nursing occupation (NOC 31301) within the past 3 years.
• English or French proficiency: reaching the minimum threshold according to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB).
• Credentials: có Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if the degree was issued outside Canada.
• Finance: proof of funds sufficient for settlement, unless you already have a valid job in Canada.
• Health and background: pass a a medical exam and a police background check.

Meeting the above conditions is the first step to creating an Express Entry profile and entering the candidate “pool.” After that, the system calculates your CRS score and you wait for a draw. For the healthcare category, the chance of receiving an ITA is usually higher thanks to the lower score threshold.

Nursing licensing registration requirements in Canada

Nursing is a strictly regulated profession in Canada. Being able to immigrate does not mean you can practice right away. Each province has its own nursing regulatory body responsible for licensing and ensuring nurses meet patient-safety standards. So, alongside your immigration application, you need to prepare a pathway for credential recognition and licensing registration.

According to information from Health Canada, internationally educated nurses usually begin with an assessment through the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) – the body that consolidates the education, registration and experience records of international nurses. After NNAS produces an advisory report, the file is forwarded to the nursing regulatory body of the province where you want to work for licensing consideration. A helpful point is that in many cases, this assessment process can begin before you set foot in Canada.

The licensing registration process usually includes the following steps, although details may vary between provinces:

1. Create an account and submit an application through NNAS to be assessed against Canadian nursing standards.
2. Submit the NNAS report to the nursing regulatory body of the province where you intend to practice.
3. You may need to undergo additional competency assessments, bridging education or supervised practice if there are differences in your training program.
4. Pass the national licensing exam (for example the NCLEX-RN for Registered Nurses in most provinces).
5. Meet the regulatory body’s own language requirement, which is usually higher than the minimum immigration threshold.

Therefore, our immigration consulting team always advises you to start researching the nursing regulatory body’s requirements as early as possible, alongside preparing your immigration application, to shorten the time from arriving in Canada to officially working in your profession.

English or French language requirements

Language is the biggest barrier for many Vietnamese nurses, but it is also a factor you can actively improve. There are two English levels to distinguish clearly.

Level for immigration: According to IRCC, the Federal Skilled Worker program under Express Entry requires a minimum of CLB 6 in all four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. However, since a higher CLB score significantly increases your CRS score, you should aim above the minimum threshold. You can take IELTS General or CELPIP to demonstrate your level; see more in our article English test for Canadian immigration of ours.

Level for professional practice: The provincial nursing regulatory body usually requires a specialized medical-English certificate with a higher score than the immigration level, because nurses must communicate accurately with patients and colleagues. So even after meeting the immigration score, you still need to keep improving your English to pass the licensing round.

Reference nursing salaries in Canada

One reason many nurses choose Canada is stable income and high hiring demand. According to Job Bank Canada (updated on 19/11/2025), the median wage of a Registered Nurse across Canada is about $43.27 CAD/hour. The common wage range varies from about $30.00 CAD/hour to $54.37 CAD/hour, depending on province, experience and healthcare facility.

Actual take-home pay will vary between provinces. Some regions such as British Columbia have a wage range above the general level, while other provinces are lower. You should check the specific wage by province on Job Bank to have realistic expectations, while also considering the cost of living in each location. The article cost of immigrating to Canada will help you picture the overall finances you need to prepare.

A practical pathway for Vietnamese nurses

Canada immigration as a nurse is a multi-step journey requiring parallel preparation of both the immigration file and the professional licensing file. Below is a reference roadmap the My Second World team commonly advises for Vietnamese nurses:

1. Initial eligibility assessment: determine the NOC code 31301, check your years of experience and estimate a preliminary CRS score.
2. English test: study for and take IELTS or CELPIP to meet both the immigration score and work toward the licensing threshold.
3. Credential assessment: complete an ECA so your nursing degree is recognized as equivalent for immigration purposes.
4. Start NNAS: submit an NNAS application to begin the professional recognition process, ideally before coming to Canada.
5. Create an Express Entry profile: enter the candidate pool and monitor healthcare category draws.
6. Receive an ITA and submit your permanent residence application: prepare all required documents, Canadian immigration application as required, plus a medical exam and background check.
7. Complete professional licensing: after arriving in Canada, take the NCLEX-RN and finish registering with the provincial regulatory body.

Each step has its own processing time, and the total roadmap can take from one to several years depending on your profile. You should also refer to Canada immigration application processing times to plan appropriately. Beyond the federal pathway, some provinces also have their own nominee programs (PNP) prioritizing nurses, so you can also consider PNP Canada as a parallel route.

Related pathways you should consider

Nursing is part of the bigger picture of Canadian skilled worker immigration. If you want to compare with other occupations or understand the overall policy, please refer to our related articles.

• Canada immigration in healthcare – an overview of the entire healthcare category, not just nursing.
• Canada immigration occupations – a list of occupations with high immigration opportunities.
• Skilled worker immigration to Canada – the general program framework that nursing belongs to.
• Canada skilled immigration roadmap – the general steps from preparation to PR.

Summary

Immigrating to Canada as a nurse is a path with a clear basis, thanks to strong demand for healthcare workers and Canada’s continued prioritization of the healthcare sector in Express Entry. However, this is a dual journey: you must meet immigration requirements (NOC code 31301, at least 1 year of experience, an adequate English level, an ECA, and finances) while also passing professional recognition through NNAS and the provincial nursing regulatory body. Preparing early and working on both tracks in parallel is the deciding factor for shortening the time it takes to start working in your profession after arriving in Canada. If you need a personalized roadmap for your profile, the My Second World team is ready to accompany you from the first assessment step.