Alberta, Canada to spend $15M to speed up foreign-trained nurses’ licensure

Members of the Philippine Canadian Nurses Association: Alberta is setting aside a budget to help internationally educated nurses get accreditation faster. (CBC Photo / Lucy Reyes)

To help fill its health care personnel shortage, the government of Alberta, Canada will invest more than $15 million to train and support more internationally educated nurses who are already in the province.

The plan includes $7.8 million allowing students to access up to $30,000 in bursaries and will open 600 new seats for nurse bridging programs at Bow Valley College and Mount Royal University in Calgary and NorQuest College in Edmonton, CBC News reported.

Starting the 2023-24 academic year, bursary recipients must complete a year of nursing service in Alberta for every $6,000 received.

The move aims to help many internationally educated nurses get accreditation. Currently, nurses from the Philippines and other Asian countries, the UK, US and parts of the Caribbean face long wait-lists and significant financial barriers to gain their license.