MyCLPNA
This page is for nurses educated and registered outside of Canada. If you have been registered anywhere in Canada, please take our applicant quiz to find out which application pathway you should use.
To work or accept employment in Alberta, Canada, Licensed Practical Nurses must have registration and a valid practice permit from the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta.
Provisional Registration
Provisional registration allows IENs who have been approved by the CLPNA to write the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE) to work as a nurse under supervision while waiting to write the exam.
What Is Provisional Registration?
Provisional registration provides certain applicants with a short-term Provisional practice permit. This will allow you to work as a nurse under supervision while waiting to write the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE).
Members with a Provisional practice permit are recognized as a Licensed Practical Nurse and may carry out the activities that they are competent to perform.
Upon approval of your Provisional application, you will receive a final invoice. This invoice covers the cost of a Provisional practice permit and writing the CPNRE. This invoice must be paid in full before a practice permit will be issued. For a list of current fees please see: Fee Schedule
You can look up the expiry date for your Provisional permit on your MyCLPNA account. You may extend your Provisional registration up to a maximum of one year from the date it was initially issued. After one year, or if a Provisional registrant chooses not to extend their permit, the registration will not be renewed. If you choose not to extend your Provisional permit, you will forfeit any remaining time you could hold a Provisional permit.
Upon successful completion of the CPNRE, the LPN holding a Provisional practice permit is automatically placed on the general register.
Review Application Requirements Before You Apply
As an Internationally Educated Nurse applicant, you will need to prepare the following before you can submit a completed application to the CLPNA.
See our Declarations and Registration Requirements Policy for more information.
Please ensure that you have included your first and last name as it appears in your MyCLPNA profile and application, in your correspondence with CLPNA.
- $340 application fee: see Fee Schedule for more information.
- Criminal Record Check completed through Backcheck.
- Two forms of valid ID: see List of Valid ID for more information.
- Education credential assessment or report from the National Nursing Assessment Service.
- Verification of Registration: A current (last six months) verification of registration allows the CLPNA to assess current registration and practice in your originating jurisdiction(s). See Verification of Registration for instructions on how to obtain verification.
- Practice Hours Requirement: the CLPNA requires that applicants complete 1,000 practice hours over the past four years.
- English Language Proficiency: see English Language Proficiency for more information.
- Evidence of professional liability insurance must be provided prior to an active practice permit being issued, see: Professional Liability Insurance for more information.
How to Apply
- Create your account on MyCLPNA. To submit an application, you must have an account with MyCLPNA.
- Once logged in, select APPLY under Provisional to begin the Internationally Educated Nurse provisional application. If you select the wrong application type, this will result in delays.
- Submit the application and pay the $340 application fee. Even if the CLPNA has your NNAS or educational credential assessment, you still must fill out every field of your application.
- If your paid application has any missing requirements, the CLPNA will contact you within five business days.
- You will receive a decision letter and final invoice for your permit fee and cost of CPNRE within ten business days of all application requirements being met. You will need to meet all application requirements before you receive a decision letter.
- You will receive information on how to register for the CPNRE within ten business days of your invoice being paid. You are not eligible to write the CPNRE until your application has been approved for Provisional Registration. Please note that the CPNRE cannot be challenged in Alberta.
- Applications received with payment will be reviewed within five business days.
- Completed applications will be processed with a decision letter within ten business days.
- A practice permit will be issued immediately upon receipt of payment.
- Applications and related components stay active for six months. Applications that have not been completed in this time will become dormant. If documents provided are older than six months, you may be required to provide updated documents.
If you don’t meet registration requirements, a decision letter will be issued to you outlining the reasons you do not meet requirements. In the decision letter, options may be made available to you.
Request for Review – Should you wish to seek a review of the registration decision, you may do so by submitting a request for review within 30 days to the attention of Melanie Therrien, Deputy Registrar. Please indicate the reasons for the request, any supporting documentation to support your request, and a review fee of $350.
Financial Resources
Microloans are available through Windmill Microlending to assist you in paying for fees associated with your professional assessment and application process. Please note that the organizations offering microloans are not affiliated with the CLPNA. Approval of a microloan is not an endorsement of your eligibility with the CLPNA. For further information, please contact the lenders directly.
Resources for Settling and Working in Alberta
Opportunity Alberta is a Government of Alberta website where you will find information and resources that include moving to Alberta, looking for work, and ways to immigrate to Alberta.
Applicants and registrants can expect these standards when interacting with the Registration Department at the CLPNA.
- Phone calls will be returned within one business day.
- Emails will be returned within two business days.
- Applications received with payment will be reviewed within five business days.
- Completed applications will be processed with a decision letter within ten business days.
- Invoices for approved applications will be available when the decision letter is issued.
- A practice permit will be issued immediately upon receipt of the final invoice payment.
The Registration Service Standards policy outlines registration service standards at the CLPNA.