Can British nurses work in Canada. If so, do they need extra training or can they perform the same role?

I posted this question on the general health site but another person suggested I try the travel, canada section. Any ideas or information?

You bet you can work here. And we're short of nurses.

You have to have your qualifications evaluated,and possibly do some upgrades. In the case of British training, that last bit is probably unecessary.

There's a recent government program-- at least in B.C., not so sure about the other provinces-- fast track people in the medical profession into the workforce, because we have a serious shortage and it will only get worse as people retire. This program will evaluate your qualifications, and if necessary recommend the upgrades.

So update your cv, find a new home for your cat, and start packing.

If you contact the personnel office at any hospital, for example the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, the staff will give you all the info you need or inform you where to get it.
You should do that because I'm writing this reply based on what I've read in the papers and elsewhere, and I might have missed something.

You can also get information and help from the Canadian embassy in the UK in this matter.

Also mention any other languages you might have a reasonable ability in if you happen to have them.

The same applies for any doctors you happen to know who might want to come over.

I am not sure about British, but I know that some American nurses had to acquire extra training before working in Canada. It is common with many other professions that extra training be done before being allowed to work in Canada.
I think it's best you contact a Canadian Nurses Union for further information. Best of luck!

There's a shortage of qualified medical personnel in every part of Canada. Each province and territory run their own health programs. So, first determine where you want to live. Second, get in touch with the appropriate organisation. Here in Nova Scotia it's MSI, Ontario is OHIP, etc. They'll be able to give you specific answers to your questions. My old roommate is a nurse in the neurosurgery unit here, and she tells me it would basically come down to:

-your experience
-where you took your training/what level of training
-your specialty and whether there are shortages in that area.
-references/checks with governing bodies in Britain
-competency test/exams