The Nova Scotia Government recently introduced the Regulated Health Professions Act, which establishes legislation for all regulated health professions in the province – including nurses and midwives. Under the new legislation, all applicants must be a Canadian citizen or legally entitled to work in Canada to be eligible for a licence.
The new Work Authorization Registration Requirement comes into effect on December 1, 2026, and only applies to applications received on or after this date.
To meet this requirement, all new applicants are required to truthfully declare their legal entitlement to live and work in Canada by signing a Declaration of Work Entitlement in Canada Form with their application for licensure. Under the new legislation, NSNMR is unable to register and license applicants who do not meet the Work Authorization Registration Requirement.
Individuals re-applying to NSNMR because their existing application has expired, are required to meet the new Work Authorization Registration Requirement regardless of when the initial expired application was submitted.
The new Work Authorization Registration Requirement has no impact on the renewal period for nurses that opens on September 2, 2026, and closes on October 31, 2026.
Starting in 2027, (and each year going forward) all NSNMR registrants (nurses and midwives) will be required to sign a Declaration of Work Entitlement in Canada Form as part of their annual registration and licensure renewal application.
For further information please email registration@nsnmr.ca.
