Canada: increase to nursing exam cost
The cost of Canada’s national nursing licensure examination is increasing from $360 to $570, a 58% increase that will take effect February 1, 2027, adding to the financial burden faced by nursing graduates entering the profession. The Canadian Nursing Students’ Association says the increase comes on top of tuition, provincial licensing fees, and hundreds of hours of mandatory unpaid clinical placements, and is concerned that the size of the increase could make entry into the profession more difficult. The organization responsible for the examination says the adjustment is the first since 2000 and reflects 25 years of inflation as well as increased costs related to examination administration, data protection, and cybersecurity. Nursing advocates are calling for governments to provide additional financial assistance, including paid preceptorships, grants, bursaries, tax deductions for rural placements, and student loan forgiveness.