Nursing Student in Canada
Requirements
A) Official Transcript from your Educational Institution
As a student currently enrolled in a nursing program in Canada*, you must have completed sufficient training. A competency reference letter is required. If you are not currently a student but have recently completed the required training, you may still be eligible.
You will need to provide information about your current health care education and training, and supply an official transcript from your current educational institution.
Interim Measure: Unofficial transcripts are being accepted temporarily (subject to full verification at a later date). Unofficial transcripts must show full name, student number, name of post-secondary institution and nursing education program, completed nursing program coursework. Incomplete transcripts are not accepted and will delay registration.
*Nursing program must be approved by a Canadian nursing regulatory body.
Appendix 1 Nursing Student Programs – Coursework for Full HCA Registration
IMPORTANT: Interim Measure – See Temporary Emergency Registration Information Below
B) Student Competency Letter
You are required to provide a student competency letter from your nursing program. The letter must follow the Student Competency Letter Template. It must be on educational institution letterhead and reference your competency in the listed Health Care Assistant Skills. The letter must be signed and have the contact details and credentials of the person who signed the letter. You can download the Student Competency Letter Template (to be provided to your educational institution) below:
Student Competency Letter Template (PDF)
C) Character Reference Letter
This reference letter is written by someone who knows you and is providing information on your character. The letter must be signed and dated and have the contact information of the person who signed the letter.
Interim Measure: The character reference letter requirement is being waived (students may attach the mandatory post secondary competency reference letter twice).
Temporary Emergency Registration – Nursing Students
For nursing program students who do not meet established coursework criteria for full registration
, temporary registration will be possible for nursing students who apply online and provide evidence of successful completion of a minimum of one semester of foundational nursing coursework, with:
- Completion of a nursing skills course (including personal care skills lab practice and assessment)
- Supervised clinical experience in long term care and/or acute care setting (subject to program competency verification)
- A Nursing Program Administrator (e.g., Coordinator, Assistant Dean, Dean) must provide students with a competency reference letter that follows the Student Competency Letter Template.
Temporary Emergency Registration will be automatically extended as long as the public health emergency related to COVID-19 remains in effect. When the public health emergency related to COVID-19 is declared over, the registration of nursing students holding Temporary Emergency Registration will automatically expire after 30 days.
IMPORTANT: To transition from temporary registration status to full registration status, you must provide evidence of completion of nursing program coursework as per Appendix 1 Nursing Student Programs – Coursework. Please send to register@cachwr.bc.ca or send a message with attached documentation in your online Registry account.
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