Step 2 of 7 · PH → CA
Select the regulator-approved assessment route — Philippines to Canada
Use NNAS Expedited only for a participating regulator that accepts the service. For Ontario, CNO requires an approved ECA before application and lists an NNAS Expedited report prepared by TruMerit as an accepted option. For Nova Scotia, review NSNMR's dated pause notice before relying on its former pathway.
- Jurisdiction scope
- Canada; NNAS participating regulators, Ontario CNO ECA and Nova Scotia pause examples
- Last verified
- Relevant official-body pillar
- National Nursing Assessment Service
Purpose
Why this decision point exists
Check NNAS participation, the Ontario CNO ECA list or the Nova Scotia pause notice before buying an assessment.
Who needs it
Check whether it applies
Applicants considering NNAS Expedited, an Ontario CNO ECA or the paused Nova Scotia pathway.
Requirements
What to check at this step
- For Ontario, use a CNO-approved ECA provider; separately, review NSNMR's dated pause notice before relying on the former Nova Scotia pathway. — College of Nurses of Ontario (external site), Nova Scotia Nursing and Midwifery Regulator (external site)
- If using NNAS Expedited, meet its foreign nursing education and foreign licensure eligibility conditions and arrange the specified primary-source records. — National Nursing Assessment Service (external site)
Common mistakes
Where applicants trip up
- Paying for NNAS before confirming participation, or ignoring Ontario's CNO list or Nova Scotia's pause notice.
- Treating Nova Scotia's former country-based pathway as current; NSNMR's dated notice says it was paused effective 2025-01-20.
One fact at a time
Official facts
Each value appears with its effective date and cited source. We never assume an optional fact applies to you, and we never convert currencies.
| Fact | Published value | Applicability | Effective | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NNAS Expedited fee for one RN plus LPN application | CAD 750 | Conditional or optional |
The order of decisions
Where this step sits in the reviewed pathway
Work through the decision points in this order, and expect the responsible body to change, add, or remove requirements for your circumstances.
Step 1
Choose the province and nursing regulatorIf you plan to use NNAS Expedited, first identify the provincial nursing regulator and confirm that it participates in or accepts the service. NNAS is an assessment service, not the authority that grants registration.
Step 2
Select the regulator-approved assessment routeUse NNAS Expedited only for a participating regulator that accepts the service. For Ontario, CNO requires an approved ECA before application and lists an NNAS Expedited report prepared by TruMerit as an accepted option. For Nova Scotia, review NSNMR's dated pause notice before relying on its former pathway.
Step 3
Apply to the provincial regulatorFor an Ontario application, CNO must receive the approved ECA report and education documents before you submit the online application and fee.
Step 4
Meet education, competence and language standardsFor Ontario RN registration, CNO assesses education, evidence of practice, language and the other General Class requirements on the applicant's file, including whether more evidence or education is needed.
Step 5
Register for NCLEX-RN after regulator eligibilityApply to the regulator, register with Pearson VUE, wait for the regulator to declare you eligible and issue the Authorization to Test, then book within its validity window. A pass on the NCLEX-RN still leaves the provincial licence decision with the regulator.
Step 6
Complete final provincial registration requirementsFor Ontario, complete the remaining CNO requirements shown for internationally educated RN applicants, including any required jurisprudence, police or background, evidence-of-practice, conduct, work-authorisation and fee items. CNO makes the registration decision.
Step 7
Obtain separate legal authorisation to workMost foreign nationals need a Canadian work permit, or another status that authorises work. An NNAS report, an ECA, an exam result, or provincial nursing registration gives you none of that by itself.
Evidence record
Official source ledger
Each entry records who published the source, what it covers, and when it was last checked.
- College of Nurses of Ontario
Approved Educational Credential Assessment Service Providers
- Scope
- Ontario, Canada
- Last verified
- National Nursing Assessment Service
Expedited Service
- Scope
- Canada; participating provincial nursing regulators
- Last verified
- Nova Scotia Nursing and Midwifery Regulator
Pause to Expedited Licensure Pathway Effective January 20, 2025
- Scope
- Nova Scotia, Canada; dated pathway notice
- Last verified