Registration & Licensure Statistics

The Nova Scotia College of Nursing (NSCN) is committed to transparency and publicly sharing registration and licensure data.

This page contains statistics about nurses who have currently applied for registration and licensure and those who have become eligible for licensure with NSCN.

Nursing Workforce Data Reports

Each year, the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness creates a report containing a snapshot of the nursing workforce using data provided by the Nova Scotia College of Nursing.  The following reports contain key metrics related to nursing supply in the province including inflow and outflow, total nurses employed, age distribution, and proportion of nurses employed by county. 

 

Expedited Licensure Process for International Applicants from the Philippines, India, Nigeria, USA, UK, Australia, or New Zealand 

On May 1, 2023, NSCN implemented a new first-in-Canada approach to registration and licensure that established a fast and predictable pathway to licensure in Nova Scotia. Registered nurses who demonstrate good standing and good character and are licensed in Canada, the Philippines, India, Nigeria, USA, UK, Australia, or New Zealand, are eligible for registration and licensure in Nova Scotia with no additional requirements other than passing the entrance exam. 

Date 

Number of applications in progress*

Number of applicants who have become eligible for licensure

Number of applicants approved for licensure in the last 7 days

As of September 25, 2023

4,645

940

+79

As of September 19, 2023

4,318

861

+83

As of September 12, 2023

3,934

778

+83

As of September 5, 2023

3,381

695

+85

As of August 29, 2023

3,159

610

+87

As of August 22, 2023

2,941

523

+107

As of August 15, 2023

2,575

416

+53

As of August 8, 2023

2,394

363

+60

As of August 1, 2023

2,152

303

+98

As of July 25, 2023

2,104

205

+33

As of July 18, 2023

1,627

172

+54

As of July 4, 2023

991

118

+26

As of June 27, 2023

680

92

+18

*In progress means the file has been reviewed and NSCN is waiting for required documents or information.

Breakdown by Licence Type

Current (Since May 1, 2023)
graph since may 1 Number of Applicants Approved for Licensure in the Last 7 Days

Note: Expedited Licensure Process for Nurses From Other Canadian Jurisdictions Data from March 29, 2023