Island Recruiting helps navigate foreign credential recognition to fill nursing demand

by Ethan Paquet

With over 30 years of experience, Island Recruiting provides professional recruiting and outsourced human resource services to companies across North America and around the world.

Their diverse clientele includes multinational organizations, government agencies, and small to medium-sized businesses. They recruit locally and through immigration.

Blake Doyle, President of Island Recruiting, says the demand for nurses on PEI is insatiable.

“On PEI, we work with companies who operate about 85 percent of private nursing home beds. We also have agreements with the provincial government to do nursing and physician recruitment. Island Recruiting is offering an incentive of $1,500 right now for a qualified referral for nurses because we have such a nursing shortage here on PEI.”

“The goal of the incentive is to connect with Islanders who want to bring family and friends back to PEI. We are running this promotion over Christmas. We will pay $1,500 to the referrer of any RN, LPN or Physician who we recruit once the candidate starts their employment.”

Blake says there are four levels of nursing that are constantly in demand on PEI:

• Nurse’s Aide “This new role is unique to PEI, and it’s something that private nursing homes need to support the nursing staff.”
• Resident Care Worker “This position requires certification.”
• Licensed Practical Nurse
• Registered Nurse “Within the public sector, there is a significant demand for Registered Nurses, but in the private sector, there is probably a bigger demand for the other levels.”

The nursing field is currently struggling from a series of challenges that include burnout, fatigue, mental health, and a chronic shortage of labour and qualified workers. To alleviate these challenges, Island Recruiting has turned to international recruitment.

“During the pandemic, we recruited over 20 nurses. Now that embassies are opening back up and it is easier to obtain the required documentation, we expect to see more recruitment in the near future.”

Foreign credential recognition in the nursing field is a two-step process that requires a one-year assessment period.

“The first step is to contact the National Assessment Service and submit your background information and education. They will determine what courses you will need to take to meet Canadian and PEI standards.

“The next step is to write a test, and before you do that you may need to already have some clinical hours. With the successful completion of that test, your foreign credentials will be acknowledged, and you will be able to work to your full scope of practice.

“Those thinking of immigrating to PEI should connect with us so we can start the foreign credential recognition process before you actually come to Canada. An early start will help overcome that one-year assessment period, so that when you come here and meet with an employer, you can actually begin work more quickly.”

Island Recruiting welcomes job seekers inside Canada and those considering moving to Canada to contact them for support as they navigate their career options.