buzz56

Gail,

Quick question. Is it the norm for Canadian hospitals not to provide OHIP cover for spouse and children, or is it because you are a tempory worker?

When you get PR and find a permanent position, will healthcare for the whole family be part of the package?

Also what is your holiday entitlement, does this differ between temp & perm?

Cheers

Buzz

Gail

You can get OHIP cover for your spouse and children, the hospital has to give you a letter stating that they intend to employ you for at least 3 years. I went to renew ours last week but they want another letter, last year's won't do !!!! It seems to depend on which office you go to as one of my friends is on her 3rd work permit and hasn't needed a letter since the first one!!! You just need cover for the first 3 months after you arrive.

I also have extra family medical cover through work - it's about $42/month and pays towards prescriptions, semi-private rooms in hospital, glasses. I also pay about the same for family dental cover as it is extortionate if you don't have any other cover. It is all done through the Ontario Nurse Association and is pretty good coverage.

Your opinion of the NHS will totally change once you see how bad the system is over here. You will never complain about prescription charges again as over here you pay for the cost of the drug itself, so if you are seriously ill just hope you have good coverage. We know someone who should be retired but has taken a job at the supermarket as they provide health cover - she and her husband are both diabetics and could not afford the cost of their monitoring and medications otherwise. The irony of that is that everyday we see the later complications of diabetes because people could not afford to monitor it properly - but in the long run the cost of dialysis, heart surgery, blindness and amputations is a lot more!!! Waiting lists are pretty long for surgery also. I do like the fact they have walk-in clinics, you will get to see a doctor as long as you are prepared to wait, whereas in England you could be waiting a week before getting an appointment. But saying that, there is a serious shortage of GP's and we have been unable to find a family doctor as they are all full, so we have not been able to have general health check-up's as recommended.

Gail

Holiday cover is not as good as in the UK. It varies on your length of service but you have to be there a long time to get the equivalent of what you would do at home.

I get 12 statutory days and about 3 weeks annual leave. The stats are 7.5 hours so you have to add annual leave to it to get a day off as the shift pay is 11.25 hours.

I do a rota of 2 days, 2 nights, 5 off so you can actually get 2 weeks holiday by only taking 4 days off. They are trying to get us to take the stats within a short time frame and one of the current proposals on my unit is that you take one stat every 6 weeks - though most of us are opposed to it. They don't book annual leave very far in advance and it all goes on "seniority" so you might not know until about 8 weeks before you want to go away whether you can officially have it!!! I have just had a drawn out battle with my manager over it as we want to visit the UK for 3 weeks next year. We want to go in June and initially she told me she would be able to let me know at the beginning of May if it would be ok !!!! This isn't really conducive to booking flights etc, so now after a lot of persuasion it has been "granted".

The Canadians are really big on "seniority" it is a phrase you will grow to hate. It basically means that the same people get what they want every year because they have been there forever, if you are at the bottom of the pile forget it !!!!

buzz56

Thanks for the comprehensive reply Gail.

It appears that adaquate medical/dental cover is of paramount importance. I was hoping that with a permanant job the local trust would supply this cover for the whole family. If this is not the case then I will have to obtain prices and put this into my budgets. Do you know any good sites where I can get quotes.

The holiday entitlement seems a bit of a bummer as well. This site really gives you a reality check, in that it is not all rosy overseas.

Once again thanks for your help.

grimm

hi Gail aaron here,

thanks for the advice somewhat dissapointed by the degree situation!!!!!!
Although amanda is a paediatric nurse on her night shift quota she is the only nurse on duty(e grade) which covers adult A&E and children so technically she is more an A&E nurse which has a speciality in paeds. Would this make a difference in applying if her job descriptoin proves this. She has applied for the Bsc in nursing in Canada which takes 4 years, which a few universities have taken intrest in. As my status goes I can generally work wherever as I am a qualified plumber,gas fitter and mechanical engineering technician and to be honest do any job that is offered. If anyone needs a hand let me know....... As well as savings which can sustain us for a year or two.

thanks for your advice
aaron

Gail

Hi Aaron

In order to register over here they are not looking at her current job or job description. They are looking at the actual course she took and will require transcripts detailing all the hours she had as a student in certain areas. A lot of people fall short on the requirements for maternity and psychiatry hours. It seems strange that they don't have such a nurse as an RSCN over here !!

Unfortunately even if they would accept her basic course she will now need a degree anyway - will any of the universities give her credit for her diploma as it seems a bit of a waste to have to do 4 years.

You won't have a problem finding work as there is a shortage of skilled trades people, they are having a campaign at the moment to encourage school leavers to become electricians and plumbers. For so many years they have been pushed towards university and into careers where there are far too many people fighting for the jobs - especially in computers

Good luck and let me know how things are going
Gail

Sharmagirl

Hi Gail,

You seem to be taking to Canada like a Duck in water. It is so nice to hear of good experiences.

I would like to seek your advise both as a british nurse and a canadian nurse if I could.

I am a British Citizen by birth, grew up in Canada (cuz my parents emmigrated from Yorkshire when I was a small child) but as an adult I came back to the UK as an adult with my Canadian Hubby and Canadian Kiddies.

So getting back to Canada is relatively easy - He goes and sponsors me. But from there is where I need help.

I currently work for the NHS as a mental health act administrator. But have wanted to train to become a nurse for a few years now. I have found that our Trust pays for nurse training should I want to go that route.

So I am going to be starting at Sheffield University in the nursing program in September. I want to specialize in the mental health field. Can you reccomend a study path that would get me the credencials in the uk but would also make life easier once we start out moving back to Canada. Which will not be until 2008 -9 and I realize that things may change. Oh, and thank you for the links you have provided in this thread they are Great!!

England has been good to us but I miss Toronto - and of course my Mom and Dad!!

All the best
Sharma

grimm

Sharma,
I think it's great that you'd like to become a RMN and are studying here in UK. To work as one in Canada you need the Degree in Mental Health nursing as they only employ graduates. That will qualify you to do the state exams to register and work legally in Canada...that's about as far as I know.
lol
AManda

jon254

Hi Gail hope you and your family had a great Christmas. Just to keep you updated Amanda applied for registration, and has recieved initial approval, but obviously will have to upgrade her qualification in Canada to degree level. It seems that Universities over there may take her qualifications into account so offer the upgrade course (1 year rather than 4)(Here's hoping). Visiting in March to explore some more and look at the possibility of a student visa whilst undergoing the upgrade.

Your advice has been invaluable. Will continue to keep in touch in our sporadic fashion.

Happy New Year

Jon

df79

Hi Gail

I'm begining nursing training and would be very interested in living in either Toronto or Vancouver, however I have heard that it can be a nightmare over there - that they don't give full time jobs and that career progression is lousy like the pay so Canadian nurses go to the states. Regarding the dgree does it have to be a nursing degree - can you work as a RN with a diploma and a unrelated degree?

I would be very grateful if you could offer any advice on these matters.

joannawillcox

Hi Gail.
I came across this site and read your note. I am an ICU nurse (with 4 years experience) in London at one of the major teaching Hospitals there. I have already undertaken my Canadian Nursing Exam (Vancouver, June 2004) which is where I thought I may want to relocate to for a year. I have however reconsidered this and wish to look at Toronto. Your message caught my eye as I have been trying to contact the large Teaching Hospitals there regarding potential vacancies but am unable to find ICU vacancies specifically. Any information would be greatly received.
Jo

Gail

Hi everyone, I haven't been on the site for a while so apologise for the delay in replying to you all.

Joanna, if you want to send me a private message I will give you the name of the nurse recruiter at my hospital. I am not sure if there are many jobs going at the moment as the hospitals are in huge debt and some of them are laying off nurses. Most of the large hospitals don't seem to recruit from abroad as it can be a lot of hassle sorting out the work permits, I approached a few of the others but they didn't even bother to reply. The nurse recruiter at our hospital is English and they recruit lots of nurses from other countries, so they seem to be used to sorting out all the paperwork. There may be some jobs coming up on my unit as all the night staff are threatening to leave due to our manager deciding they should work days - regardless of childcare/elderly relatives/university commitments (so morale is pretty low!!). My neighbour works on the neurotrauma ICU and they don't have any jobs as they have recruited some of our night staff. Not sure about the cardiac ICU, one of my colleagues just moved there and is enjoying it but I know that a lot of our staff have also approached the manager there.

Amanda, great to hear that your qualifications may be recognised so you don't have to spend as long taking the degree, let me know how things go.

Regarding the other questions, I don't really know anything about mental health over here but there is a unit at our hospital so the nurse recruiter I mentioned earlier may be able to help. The CNO will only accept a degree in nursing, mine is in management so doesn't count but luckily I was here before the rules changed so it hasn't made a difference. A lot of my colleagues are taking the degree modules but are looking at 4-6 years before completion !!! I can't bear the thought of that length of time, would rather enjoy my time off with my family so have managed to avoid the issue so far.

Feel free to ask any more questions
Gail

Gail

Sorry, I didn't answer all of your questions so here goes. A few of my colleagues commute long distances to work because their local hospitals don't recruit full-time staff. They take staff on as "casual", then maybe part-time (as they don't have to pay all the benefits) if they like them, eventually a full-time job may be offered. My neighbour worked at our local hospital for a few months but said it was like nursing in the dark ages as everyone had been there for years and it wasn't a teaching hospital so nothing ever changed. At the larger downtown hospitals you shouldn't have too many problems getting full-time if you have the appropriate experience - though as I mentioned above they are making cuts at the moment.

Career progression seems to be about being in the right place at the right time. Our manager is very inexperienced and doesn't have the qualifications that would be required to manage a British ICU. Our Education Nurse also doesn't have a lot of bedside experience and there is no way that she would do the same job in the UK. On the other hand they are now advertising for a Resource Nurse and are asking for a lot more experience and qualifications that for previous posts, so maybe things are changing.

A lot of nurses go to the States for the better pay, but many seem to only go for a couple of years. The ones I work with who have done it went for the money so they could buy a house back in Canada. They also seem to have to work harder for their money (longer hours, fewer breaks and holidays, ICU nurses caring for 2-3 critically ill ventilated patients per shift).

The pay in Canada depends on your experience, it's not good if you have just qualified (but that is the same in the UK). Luckily I went straight to the top payscale, I earn about $70,000 - I don't do any overtime so there is the potential to earn quite a lot more. Some of my colleagues are earning over $100,000 (by law the hospital has to publish the names every year of all staff earning over $100,000 !!!). Before my husband was working we managed to have a pretty good lifestyle just on my wage, plus we were paying $1500/month rent - we wouldn't have been able to live on just my salary in the UK.

Moving to another country is a very difficult decision to make, and all the different countries have their own advantages. There are days when I could happily jump on a plane and just go "home" and wonder why the hell we came here when we had a good lifestyle before. BUT we have put our children through enough trauma already and they have settled really well, there is lots to do if you can be bothered to make the effort. We live in a better area than we could ever have afforded in the UK and the girls are at a brand new school which is well equipped and the teachers are enthusiastic. They have lots of activities at school, currently they go to ski club on a monday and there are frequent skating trips. I believe they have a brighter future over here, but they can always move back when they are older. There are lots of pros and cons to weigh up !!!!

Gail

jon254

Hi Gail. Hope all is well.

Amanda recieved confirmation that OCN extended the deadline for applicants prior to Jan 1st and will sit the exam in June without having to upgrade her diploma .. Just need PR or Work visa before 2006 and hey presto she's Registered. :scared:

Hope life is treating you and your family well. Be in touch.

Jon

twoshoes

Just registered on expats!! Went immediately to nursing section. I am a district nursing sister in tameside and will hopefully emigrating with my family. (Who knows when) Sent forms in March 05. Was really encouraged to read your info on jobs etc. and just glad I have my degree already. I hope you will be able to answer my queries as they arise! I'm not sure if district nursing is the same in canada, so I will have to just play it by ear!!! Have just spent a week in Ajax last week with family which was great. Cant wait for the ball to start rolling.

sue