I’m a Canadian Nurse; which state should I apply for my first nursing license?
This may seem like a straightforward question, but it is a little more complicated for Canadians. I endured many hurdles to get my first US nursing license as a Canadian and made many mistakes. I will share some tips and advice I learned about getting that first license. I’m also going to share the steps to get your Minnesota license as a Canadian, which you can find at the end of this post.
US Nursing License
Each state has a different timeline for processing licenses and will ask for additional information from you. For example, some states request transcripts from your school, and others want fingerprints done for background checks. It is also essential to know for your first nursing license, you can only apply to states that don’t require a Social Security Number (SSN).
In my experience, Canadians have the easiest time applying for licenses in these states:
Trusted Licensure Guide
A great resource I use when applying for licenses even now is the Trusted Licensure Guide.
They provide you with all the steps, required documents and a rough timeline of processing time with links to applications and documents.
My Journey Getting a US Nursing License
The first license I attempted to receive was for Washington. Initially, the Washington Board of Nursing (BON) rejected my education. I received my nursing degree from York University in Toronto, Ontario. During nursing clinicals, I never had a placement in psychiatric/mental health.
Washington requires clinicals in all areas: medical, surgical, obstetrics, post-partum care of newborns, pediatrics and psychiatric/mental health. When I applied, I had no idea this was a requirement. Eventually, after going back and forth with them, I was allowed reconsideration using my current nursing employment experience working in the Emergency Department. I asked them to reconsider my application as my daily practice involved direct psychiatric patient care. It was a long process, and after my initial application in October 2021, I was issued my license in April 2022.
After that initial rejection, my recruiter told me I couldn’t get a license in any other state and basically told me I was out of luck. I knew there was no way this could be true. This gave me my first clue that these travel agencies don’t know all the logistics of this process for Canadians.
While I waited for my appeal with Washington to be considered, I started applying to other states. If I could do it all over again, I would have applied for my license in Minnesota as it only took two weeks to issue and no fuss at all to get it. I would have then endorsed that license to New York and Massachusetts.
Important Takeaway
My most important takeaway is that you need to apply for a license you know you will be eligible for. Many people dream of travel nursing in California immediately, when it’s unrealistic as you can’t apply without an SSN. While waiting for your CGFNS certificate to be issued, start your license process, so you don’t have any delays.
How to Get a Minnesota Nursing License
Here are the steps for getting a Minnesota license:
This is the entire document the Minnesota BON provides with steps and instructions.
- Create an account and submit your application online, the cost is 105 USD.
2. Visit CNO’s website to request your Canadian license be sent to the state you are applying to. The cost of this service is $16.95
3. Submit this form to the HR department where you currently work as a nurse so the Minnesota BON can confirm your nursing employment.
4. Get fingerprints done and mailed to Minnesota so they can run a background check. I lived in Toronto and got them done here.
I used the standard FD-258 card that this agency provided and mailed them to the Minnesota BON. This place has various locations in the GTA and costs $50 per card to complete.
For mailing them to the BON, it is recommended to use a courier like FedEx or UPS. I have paid around $60-$70 CAD to send a document in the standard envelope to the US.
Issuing Your License
Once all the documents are received, you will be issued your license. I was issued in less than 2 weeks upon all documents received. You can always call the BON for an update. I always recommend calling first thing in the morning when they open.
Ready to Get Started?
If you are considering making the great leap into Travel Nursing in the US, read ur guide The Guide to Becoming a Travel Nurse. We will be updating this guide frequently with new information and links often. It’s a guide purely coming from my our personal experiences.
You can also reach out to us in the contact section by sending us an email or leave a comment below with any questions about the process. We are happy to help anyone get started!
My name is Marta, I’m a pediatric emergency room nurse from Toronto travelling in the US. I have taken assignments most recently in Boston and Denver. I travel with my husband who is a travel points enthusiast and manages to find amazing deals using points to fulfill all of our travel bucket-list goals. Join us on our next adventure after 13 weeks!