To be eligible to practice as a registered nurse in Alberta, you must obtain a practice permit from the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA). Obtaining a CARNA practice permit is a three step process. The first step for all internationally educated nurse applicants is to submit an application for assessment of eligibility for registration to CARNA.

Before you print and complete the application package below, please consider the following important factors related to applying for assessment of eligibility for registration:

If English is not your first language, do not apply until you can provide evidence of having achieved acceptable scores on one of the English language tests accepted by CARNA. Applicants may be required to provide updated scores if test scores become more than two years old at any time during the application process.

If you completed your initial nursing education program outside of Canada, you must be able to provide CARNA with evidence of registration as a registered nurse in the country where you completed your initial registered nurse education program.

If you have applied for assessment or registration with any other Canadian health care regulatory body, you will be required to notify CARNA.

Do not translate any documents into English. Submit all supporting documents in their original format. If CARNA requires any documents to be translated, we will advise you of how to arrange for an approved translation and for payment of fees for translation services.

To avoid unnecessary delays in reviewing your application, ensure that your name and date of birth are recorded accurately and consistently on all your documents.

If you were educated as a Licensed Practical Nurse or an Enrolled Nurse, you may want to also check the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta

If you were educated as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse or a Registered Mental Health Nurse, check the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta

If you were educated as a Registered Midwife you may want to check with the Alberta Association of Midwives

>> Application for Assessment of Eligibility for Registration package (pdf)<<