Nursing in Canada

1. When will I get my exam results? Exam results will be mailed to you approximately 5-6 weeks after the exam. Please do not call CRNBC for your exam results as we cannot issue your results over the telephone. The examination result is reported as a pass or fail. Examination papers are not available for review.

2. What will happen if I fail the exam? If you are eligible to retake the CRNE you may reapply for the next writing. If you have outstanding requirements, those will need to be met prior to being eligible to rewrite. A candidate who fails the examination may request rescoring of their examination. There is a fee for this service. Specific deadline dates for the submission of rescore applications will be communicated at a later date. Please note any borderline exam results are automatically rescored.

3. How many times can I take the exam? A candidate is eligible to write the registration examination three times only. This includes all writings of the registered nurse examination in other Canadian jurisdictions. An applicant who has failed the registration examination twice will be required to complete remedial studies prior to writing the examination a third time. We will send you a letter with your exam results indicating what documents you will need to provide to CRNBC in order to have your file reviewed for additional exam writings.

4. Can I continue working on my Temporary license if I fail the exam? You may continue working on your Temporary license if you fail the exam, however your file will have to be further reviewed in order to continue on your temporary license. We will send you a letter with your exam results indicating what documents you will need to provide to CRNBC in order to have your file reviewed for an extension to your temporary license.

5. How will I obtain full registration if I pass the exam? Candidates on temporary registration, who pass the exam and who have met all other registration requirements, will automatically have their temporary registration converted to full registration. A registration card will be mailed to these candidates as soon as the process has been completed by CRNBC. If there are still outstanding requirements for registration, you will be notified of these by mail or e-mail. If a candidate does not have temporary registration and has met all other registration requirements, the candidate will need to pay the registration fees for full registration or for non-practising registration.

6. I am planning to be registered later due to a long vacation/pregnancy/extenuating circumstances. Do I have to apply for registration now? You have one year from the date of your results letter to establish registration with CRNBC if you have met all other requirements.

7. I am moving to another province, do I need to be registered in BC? You are not required to finalize your registration in B.C. if you do not plan on working in B.C. However, it is in your best interest to complete the registration process in the event that you return to B.C. or to prevent delays when registering elsewhere. Many jurisdictions require proof of initial (original) registration in the province you were educated in. If you do not finalize your registration you will need to request a letter of your exam result to be sent to the province you would like to register in.

8. I don’t feel confident on how I did on the CRNE. Can I apply for the next CRNE now and withdraw if I passed? No, you cannot reapply for an exam until you have received results from the exam you had previously written.