Employer Resources

Employers have a responsibility to ensure that their employees have an active permit and are practising in a safe, competent and ethical manner. If an employee is practising under the title of graduate nurse (GN) or graduate nurse practitioner (GNP), they hold a provisional permit and must be supervised in their work. Further details can be found in the CRNA's Supervision Standards.

If your new hire will practise under one of the protected titles regulated by the CRNA, they must have an active practice permit from the CRNA before they can begin their position. The CRNA has two online tools you can use to confirm whether an individual has a permit: the Nurse Verification Tool for Employers or the public Verify a Nurse tool.

Having an active practice permit from the CRNA means that an individual meets the minimum entry-level competencies to practise as an RN or NP in Alberta (view the entry-level competencies for RNs and NPs). Employers should take care that the individual they are hiring has the skills and competencies to work in the practice setting they are hiring for.

The CRNA typically issues a permit within two business days, once all required documents are received. Please be aware that the CRNA has no control over the time it takes to receive the necessary documentation from the applicant, other jurisdictions or third-party services. In some cases, this may take several weeks.

If you have hired a graduate nurse (GN) or graduate nurse practitioner (GNP), there are limitations on the tasks they can perform until they have passed the applicable registration exam for their designation. This includes required supervision, as detailed in the CRNA's Supervision Standards.

Any member of the public can look up an individual's registration and permit status using the Verify a Nurse tool on our website. This tool also shows any conditions or authorizations that may be attached to a permit.

Employers also have access to an Employer Lookup that allows them to check on the status of multiple Individuals at once, and emails the results of searches directly.

The CRNA's practice year runs from Oct. 1 - Sept. 30, every year. Permits are valid for the duration of the practice year, with the exception of graduate nurse (GN) and graduate nurse practitioner (GNP) permits which expire 6 months from their original issuance, up to a total of 12 months.

Employers have an obligation to report any employees licensed by the CRNA who are not meeting the standards that apply to their practice. All complaints received by the CRNA are reviewed according to our complaints management process.

If an employee is practising under the title of graduate nurse (GN) or graduate nurse practitioner (GNP), they hold a provisional permit.

Provisional permits allow these individuals to practise under the titles noted above for up to 12 months in total following graduation or application completion before they pass the applicable registration exam for their designation.  

Anyone on the CRNA's provisional register must receive enhanced supervision and are not allowed to perform certain activities. Further details can be found in the CRNA's Supervision Standards.