Why is British Columbia Recruiting US Nurses?

• Dozens of U.S. nurses are considering moving to the Great White North. 
• British Columbia media outlets have reported that uneasiness regarding the U.S. political climate have sparked interest in relocation. 
• However, the Canadian province is enduring similar issues as stateside nurses when it comes to staffing and safety concerns. 

More than 175 U.S. nurses have applied for expedited credentials to practice in British Columbia, Canada, according to the province’s leadership. 

Premier David Eby said in a Times-Colonist report that the applications have come in since a new registration system — which takes the process from months to days — was announced in March. 

“Under the initiative, American nurses can apply directly to the college [B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives] without first going through a third-party assessment organization,” the outlet reported. “The college can also access a database to review the education, exam results, employment and registration history of nurses who apply.” 

Uncertainty under the current White House administration has opened the door to recruit from Canada’s southern neighbor, according to the Times-Colonist. But others argue that systemic problems that Canadian nurses face, like violence and attrition, can’t be addressed through international recruiting alone.

Why U.S. Nurses Are Considering Careers in Canada 

One nurse from Texas, Rachael Smith-Taylor, is among those considering a move to British Columbia. She recently visited Nanaimo, Vancouver, B.C., after seeing a viral post that invited Americans to visit the city “in the wake of the U.S. tariffs and trade war,” the Times-Colonist reported. 

“The experience reinforced my aspiration to contribute to Canada’s healthcare system as a registered nurse,” Smith-Taylor told the outlet. 

She was one of hundreds of U.S. nurses who answered the viral post.  

“The political upheaval that’s going on… You don’t have to say much about it,” Smith-Taylor said in a CTV News report. “Everyone is aware, and it [a potential move to Canada] just feels safer than where I am currently.” 

Across the U.S. medical community, nearly 575 physicians, 133 nurse practitioners, and nearly 40 allied health professionals have “expressed interest” in working in the province. B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said it’s not guaranteed that nurses who register to work in the province will make the jump north, but the practitioners are being guided “step-by-step.”  

Canada Has Its Own Nursing Crisis 

Like much of the world, Canada also is battling its own nursing workforce crisis. But unlike many countries, it’s unclear how many nurses are actively employed and working.  

Dr. Kim LeBlanc, president of the Canadian Nurses Association, told the Toronto Star that on paper the country has “almost half a million nurses,” but the estimate could be up to 100,000 “too high.” Reasons for the discrepancy range from duplicate registrations across provinces and territories to being employed in “more than one designation or profession,” according to information the Star obtained from the Canadian Institute of Health Information. 

A reporter for Business Intelligence for B.C. also argued that the “day-to-day reality” for nurses in the province isn’t being discussed in the context of recent recruitment campaigns. The reality, similar to the states, includes increasing threats and acts of violence, “crammed hospitals,” and more. 

“It was left to the BC Nurses’ Union to explain the disconnect of a government focused on recruiting people from abroad into jobs that have a more than 50 percent attrition rate within five years back here at home,” wrote Rob Shaw. 

BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby told Shaw that investments can’t be put solely into recruitment. 

“If you’re not creating a safe, sustainable environment, you’re going to lose the people that you have. And that is what’s happening,” she said. 

The Bottom Line

The Canadian province British Columbia has used the U.S. political climate and concerns about tariffs as a tool to recruit nurses from its southern neighbor. Since March, 177 stateside nurses have shown interest in working in the province. However, concerns over violence and attrition are affecting the B.C. nursing industry much like in the U.S. 

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