Nova Scotia: New Nursing Licence Applicants Must Have the Right to Work in Canada

The Nova Scotia Nursing and Midwifery Regulator (NSNMR) announced a new registration requirement on 1 September 2026. Under Nova Scotia's new Regulated Health Professions Act, every applicant must be a Canadian citizen or legally entitled to work in Canada to be eligible for a licence.

The requirement starts on 1 December 2026 and applies to applications received on or after that date. New applicants sign a Declaration of Work Entitlement in Canada form with their application, and NSNMR says it cannot register or license anyone who does not meet the requirement.

If an earlier application expires and you apply again, the new rule applies to you, whenever you first applied. Nurses renewing their licence this autumn are not affected. From 2027, every nurse and midwife registered with NSNMR will sign the declaration each year at renewal.

Who it affects: internationally educated nurses who plan to apply to Nova Scotia without Canadian citizenship or the legal right to work in Canada. If Nova Scotia is part of your plan, read NSNMR's notice and contact NSNMR about your own situation.