Canada’s nursing shortage keeps hospital RN roles open through 2026, and healthcare is a top-priority immigration category with dedicated Express Entry draws. A current example is a Registered Nurse posting at Lakeridge Health in Oshawa, Ontario on Indeed — $41.150 to $58.980 an hour on the hospital wage schedule, permanent full-time, in inpatient and community mental health nursing. One important honesty note first: registered nurse jobs in canada with visa sponsorship 2026 are not open work permits, and this particular posting does not mention sponsorship — sponsorship comes after you complete NNAS credentialing and provincial registration (CNO in Ontario), never before. This guide explains the Lakeridge posting, the NNAS-to-NCLEX pathway, and the real employer-driven visa routes.
If you are new to Canada’s employer-driven routes, our guide to getting a Canada work permit without an agent explains how the LMIA process works.
What Does a Registered Nurse Do in Canada?
Registered nurses in Canada assess patients, develop care plans, administer medications, and coordinate with physicians and allied health teams. The Lakeridge Health posting is for inpatient and community mental health nursing (child and adolescent focus): therapeutic communication, crisis intervention, care planning, and collaboration with families and community services. It asks for current BCLS certification, a satisfactory vulnerable-sector criminal record check, and strong assessment skills — a typical profile for an Ontario hospital RN role.
Demand for Registered Nurses in Canada
Canada’s nursing shortage is structural and most acute in Ontario, British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces. Hospitals, long-term care homes and community agencies all recruit internationally, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada runs Express Entry category-based draws specifically for healthcare occupations (NOC 31301), often with lower CRS cutoffs than general draws. Provincial nominee programs also run dedicated health streams. That is why registered nurse jobs in canada with visa sponsorship 2026 remain one of the strongest long-term bets for foreign-trained nurses — demand is policy-backed, not cyclical.
Compare employer-driven routes in our guides to forklift operator jobs in Canada with visa sponsorship 2026 and painter jobs in Canada with visa sponsorship 2026, and check current openings in our roundup of the latest jobs in Canada. For registered nurse jobs in canada with visa sponsorship 2026, NNAS registration — not the advert’s wording — is what makes you hirable.
Registered Nurse Jobs in Canada with Visa Sponsorship 2026: Requirements and Salary
The Lakeridge Health posting asks for registration in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), a minimum of 3 years of inpatient or community mental health experience (child/adolescent preferred), current BCLS, and a clean vulnerable-sector record check. Pay is $41.150 to $58.980 per hour — permanent full-time. That matches the 2026 market for Ontario hospital RNs, typically CAD $40–52+ an hour. For registered nurse jobs in canada with visa sponsorship 2026, the non-negotiable requirement is NNAS credentialing plus provincial registration and the NCLEX-RN; no employer can sponsor you around that step.
How to Apply for Registered Nurse Jobs in Canada with Visa Sponsorship 2026
Apply through the Indeed listing linked in the Apply Now button — but read the honesty note first: the advert does not mention visa sponsorship, so treat it as a benchmark posting, not a sponsored offer. Your application package should include your NNAS advisory report status, CNO registration (or eligibility letter), NCLEX-RN result, BCLS card, detailed mental-health nursing experience, and reference letters. For registered nurse jobs in canada with visa sponsorship 2026, the winning offshore strategy is to become registrable first, then target employers with a record of LMIA-backed hiring or apply through PNP health streams and Express Entry healthcare draws.
Visa and Sponsorship Process
There is no single ‘nurse sponsorship visa’ — the pathways are employer-driven. Once you are registrable, options include an LMIA-backed job offer leading to an employer-specific work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, provincial nominee health streams, and Express Entry category draws for healthcare workers. Our overview of Canada work permit options covers what to do while you do not yet have an offer. Never pay anyone for a job offer, LMIA, or registration shortcut — legitimate employers and regulators never charge workers for these.
Apply Now
Employer: Lakeridge Health – Oshawa, ON (via Indeed)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NNAS process for foreign nurses?
NNAS (National Nursing Assessment Service) is the mandatory first step for internationally educated nurses. You submit your credentials, nursing education, and work history to NNAS, which verifies them and issues an advisory report to the provincial college — in Ontario, the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). Only after the college assesses you can you write the NCLEX-RN and register. The process typically takes 6–12 months, so start it before job hunting.
Can I apply for the Lakeridge Health nurse role from outside Canada?
Honestly, not directly through this posting: the Lakeridge Health advert does not mention visa sponsorship, and hospital postings generally assume you are already eligible to work in Canada. The realistic offshore sequence is: complete NNAS and CNO registration first, then pursue employer-driven routes — an LMIA-backed job offer, an Atlantic or provincial nominee health stream, or Express Entry’s healthcare category draws — which is when sponsorship becomes possible.
Do foreign nurses need Canadian registration before working?
Yes. Registration with the provincial nursing college (CNO in Ontario) is mandatory — you cannot practise as a Registered Nurse in Canada without it. That means NNAS credentialing, meeting the college’s requirements, and passing the NCLEX-RN. Sponsorship and work permits come after eligibility, never before.
What salary does the Oshawa posting offer?
The posting lists $41.150 to $58.980 per hour on the hospital’s wage schedule — a strong union-scale band for Ontario RNs in 2026. That fits the national picture: experienced registered nurses in Canada typically earn CAD $40–52+ an hour depending on province, setting, and seniority, with overtime and shift differentials on top.
Registered nurse jobs in canada with visa sponsorship 2026 are among the most realistic healthcare pathways for foreign nurses — but they run on eligibility first, sponsorship second. The Lakeridge Health posting ($41.15–$58.98/hr, Oshawa, Ontario) shows the calibre of roles available: union-scale wages, permanent full-time hours, and a major hospital network. Start your NNAS credentialing now, target CNO registration and the NCLEX-RN, and only then pursue employer-driven routes like LMIA-backed offers or provincial nominee health streams. Confirm any sponsorship claim in writing, prepare your documents early, and apply through the official listing link.
