Newfoundland and Labrador launch mission to recruit nurses for India, recruitment desk to be set up in Bengaluru

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — The government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s has announced its plan to establish an office in India aimed at attracting internationally trained nurses to the province.
Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador announced that the Provincial Government is spearheading a mission to India to recruit internationally-educated registered nurses who can fill vacancies in Newfoundland and Labrador. The mission complements other ongoing national and international recruitment activities targeting health care professionals.
“This mission takes an innovative and successful model for international recruitment and applies it to addressing the nursing shortage in Newfoundland and Labrador. Our government and dedicated partners are taking bold action to address the staffing issues facing the health care system in our province, as we compete with other jurisdictions to attract and retain health care professionals at this critical time,” Furey said.
An advance team of Provincial Government officials will depart for southwestern India in the coming weeks with the goal to set up a recruitment desk in the city of Bengaluru, located in the state of Karnataka. They will be joined by a representative of the College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador who will be dedicated to oversee licensure.
“The state of Karnataka has been chosen because many nurses in the region receive similar training to what registered nurses receive in Newfoundland and Labrador. The region was also chosen because it has a high concentration of prestigious nursing schools. Additionally, the Provincial Government has had past success recruiting health care professionals from Bengaluru,” said a news release from the government.
Once landed, the team will meet with institutions that graduate nurses who have the academic credentials to qualify for licensure in Canada. The team will also begin raising awareness of Newfoundland and Labrador as an ideal immigration destination through presentations and meetings with nurses and nursing students.
“The College of Registered Nurses is the largest healthcare regulator in the province with a mandate to ensure the Registered Nurses we licence provide safe, ethical, and competent care to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. In collaborating with Indian nursing schools and state and national nursing regulators of India, Newfoundland and Labrador can better identify areas that align with our benchmarks and standards. Establishing these regulatory connections is a fundamental first-step in becoming a Registered Nurse in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Lynn Power, Executive Director, College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Creation of the recruitment desk in India is modeled on the recent success in Poland that showed being on-the-ground is essential to establishing relationships and identifying high-potential candidates for immigration to Newfoundland and Labrador.