Qualifying as an RPN and RN
Ontario colleges are offering new, tuition-free competency upgrade courses for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) who want to qualify as Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) and Registered Nurses (RNs) in Ontario. All theory courses will be delivered online.
This webpage provides information about courses offered by Ontario colleges for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) who want to qualify as a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) or Registered Nurse (RN) in Ontario. These courses, funded by the Ontario government's Nursing Program Transformation in Ontario's Colleges initiative, are designed to be a flexible option for working nurses to meet the CNO's new education requirements (effective April 1, 2025).
Individuals who successfully complete the CNO-approved Nursing Transformation Transition to Practice for Nurses (TTPN) course will have met the new transition to practice requirement designed to ensure that individuals entering the nursing profession in Ontario are familiar with competencies specific to the Canadian context.
The TTPN course is fully online and can be completed at your own pace while meeting assignment deadlines. For the list of colleges offering the course and to register, please visit OntarioLearn.
For more information regarding the transition to practice requirement, please visit the CNO's website: https://cno.org/become-a-nurse/registration-requirements/transition-to-practice.
If you have nursing education from another country that CNO deems not substantially equivalent to an Ontario approved program, there are options to meet this requirement. This fall, Ontario colleges will launch a CNO-approved pathway to address this requirement. This webpage will be updated as soon as more information is available. In the meantime, please visit the CNO’s website for more information: https://cno.org/become-a-nurse/registration-requirements/new-registration-requirements/nursing-education-requirements-rn-rpn-applicants/nursing-education-substantial-equivalency-rn-rpn-applicants.
Please note: the preceptor clinical requirement for the pathway requires on-site participation that will be supported by your registering college. If you need help locating a college near you, please consult this map.
You will not receive a credential upon completing these courses. Your local college will provide an academic record as evidence of successful completion, depending upon your specific CNO registration requirements.
Please check-in with your college to find out more about the course load.
Every course will have a schedule to follow with a distinct start and stop date. The online courses are available 24/7 and course schedules have week to week timelines, coursework may be completed at any time within the week. Please note: there is a preceptor clinical requirement for the IEN substantially equivalent pathway which requires on-site participation which will have a defined schedule determined by your college.
Yes. For academic questions, your course facilitator should be your first contact. Once you register for a course, you will also receive information regarding the key contacts for technical support.
The IEN Nursing Transformation Transition to Practice for Nurses course is available in French. The French Nursing Transformation courses designed to meet the Substantially Equivalent pathway requirements will become available in 2026. This website will be updated as more information becomes available.
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