Nurse Login

Impacts on Strengthening the System: Registration Statistics

Dec. 19, 2023

On April 4, 2023, the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) announced a new equitable process to remove many of the barriers that previously existed for internationally educated nurses (IENs). The new process is faster as well as more affordable, predictable, transparent and fair.

While the registration requirements have not changed, applicants now have more options for demonstrating how they meet these requirements.

There has been great interest in this announcement, so the CRNA will be publishing weekly statistics to demonstrate the impact of the changes. These statistics are collected on a weekly basis throughout the College's fiscal year (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30).

"To date" data is from Oct. 1 to Dec. 16, 2023.

Individuals registered from all application types:

  • 388 - this week
  • 2,757 - to date

Individuals registered using substantial equivalence* pathways:

  • 217 - this week
  • 2,082 - to date

Individuals who started applications using substantial equivalence* pathways:

  • 248 - this week
  • 2,823 - to date

*There are a few application types available to apply for a permit in Alberta. The application type for RNs educated outside of Canada, who have never been registered in Canada, is called substantial equivalence. As a reference point, in the preceding four permit years (October 2018 to September 2022), we received 582 applications from individuals via the substantial equivalence application.

The CRNA is still working on improvements to remove barriers for nurses to provide health care to Albertans and will make more announcements as they are implemented.