What is NNAS and how does it work for nurses moving to Canada?
Checked against the regulator’s own pages, October 2026
The National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) is the first step for internationally educated nurses applying to most Canadian nursing regulators. It collects and assesses your documents and sends an Advisory Report to the regulators you choose. NNAS does not grant licences: only the provincial regulator decides.
Who this is for
Registered nurses, licensed or registered practical nurses and registered psychiatric nurses educated outside Canada.
What the official guidance says
- NNAS serves three groups: registered nurses, licensed practical nurses (registered practical nurses in Ontario) and registered psychiatric nurses.
- NNAS does not grant licences to practise nursing in Canada; only nursing regulatory bodies decide whether an application succeeds. Advisory Reports are accepted by all Canadian nursing regulators except Quebec and the Territories.
- You must have completed post-secondary nursing education outside Canada and never been licensed as a nurse in Canada in that profession. The Expedited Service also needs a nursing licence held outside Canada.
- The Expedited Service covers RN and LPN together with 13 regulators in 9 provinces, and needs two notarized IDs, a course-by-course assessment from an approved organization and licences sent by the licensing authorities.
- Most documents must be sent to NNAS by third parties, not by you, and the Advisory Report goes automatically to the regulators you select.
- Since 14 October 2022 NNAS no longer collects language test scores: you send proof of language proficiency directly to the regulator.
- The Expedited Service main application is CA$750 (US$525). NNAS says it does not issue refunds.
What it does not mean
- An NNAS report is not a licence or a job offer.
- NNAS does not check your English: the regulator does.
- NNAS’s pages differ on how long an Advisory Report stays valid, so check with the regulator you apply to.
What to do next
- 01Check the eligibility criteria and pick the Expedited Service or RPN Pathway.
- 02Create an NNAS account, apply and pay.
- 03Ask your schools and licensing authorities to send their documents to NNAS directly.
- 04Send your language test results to the regulator, not NNAS.
Questions
Does NNAS give me a Canadian nursing licence?
No. NNAS says it does not grant licences; only Canadian nursing regulatory bodies decide.
Do I send my IELTS or CELBAN result to NNAS?
No. Since 14 October 2022 NNAS no longer collects language test scores. You send proof of language proficiency directly to the regulator.
Is Migo part of NNAS or any Canadian nursing regulator?
No. Migo is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by NNAS or any Canadian nursing regulator, and it does not give legal or immigration advice.
Official sources
- NNAS: National Nursing Assessment Service
- NNAS: Eligibility
- NNAS: Expedited Service
- NNAS: Application process and timeline
- NNAS: Documents
- NNAS: FAQs
- NNAS: Fees
Checked October 2026. Regulators change their rules, fees and scores, so confirm them on the official page before you act.
The visa side
Registration and the visa are separate. Migo’s visa guides cover the routes for this country, from the official government pages.
Where Migo can help
Migo AI Mobility does not prepare Canadian nursing registration or NNAS yet. Today it prepares UK registration (the NMC for nurses and midwives, the HCPC for allied health professionals) and Australian registration through Ahpra for nurses, midwives, radiographers, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. If you are weighing those countries up too, Migo can build a free plan for one of them. For the visa side of this country, see Migo’s visa guides.
Your plan is free. You approve every paid step.
Related guides
Migo is independent: it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the regulator named on this page. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.