Most of an NNAS file never passes through the nurse's hands. Schools, licensing authorities and employers send their forms straight to the National Nursing Assessment Service, and translations follow the same logic: NNAS says "All certified translations must be mailed to NNAS directly from the translator." A translation you upload yourself, however accurate, does not count.
That one rule explains most stalled applications. The rest come from identity documents notarized the wrong way, names that differ between documents, and a provincial map that no longer runs entirely through NNAS.
Below: the NNAS documents for internationally educated nurses (IENs) as of October 2026, the translation and notarization rules in NNAS's own words, Ontario's separate rule, fees, and the immigration paperwork.
What is NNAS, and do I still need it in 2026?
NNAS collects and verifies the credentials of internationally educated nurses and sends an Advisory Report to the regulators you choose. It does not license anyone. Its members are "16 nursing regulatory bodies across Canada," and its reports are accepted by all nursing regulators "except in Québec and the Territories."
It runs two services:
- Expedited Service for registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs, called RPNs in Ontario) who have been licensed as nurses outside Canada. Education is assessed at the country level, so your school sends no curriculum.
- Registered Psychiatric Nurse Pathway for registered psychiatric nurses, based on NNAS's original service, with an individual curriculum assessment.
Two large provinces have changed the picture:
| Province | Regulator | Where NNAS fits (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) | Education is verified by WES, ICAS or ICES; CNO "will continue to accept" NNAS Expedited reports prepared by TruMerit (formerly CGFNS) |
| British Columbia | BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) | IENs apply to BCCNM and to Inspire Global Assessments, which accepts an education report from WES, ICAS, ICES, CES or NNAS |
| Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador | RN and LPN regulators | Take part in the NNAS Expedited Service |
| Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, BC (psychiatric nursing) | RPN regulators | NNAS RPN Pathway |
| Quebec and the territories | OIIQ and territorial regulators | Not part of NNAS; apply to the regulator |
Quebec adds a language condition: the Office québécois de la langue française states that members of professional orders must have a knowledge of French appropriate to their profession.
Which documents does NNAS need, and who sends them?
You submit only your identity documents, uploaded in the applicant portal. Everything else must come from the third party that holds the record.
| Document | Expedited Service | RPN Pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Two notarized forms of ID, uploaded by you | Same |
| Education | Course-by-course assessment report sent by CES, ICAS, ICES or WES | Nursing Education Form, official transcript and curriculum or course descriptions, sent by each school |
| Licensure | Registration form from the authorities that issued your first and current nursing licence | Registration form from every authority that ever licensed you |
| Employment | Not required, but the last five years must be disclosed | Practice/Employment Form from each nursing employer in the last five years |
Details that decide whether a file moves:
- Course-by-course reports are valid for five years, and the assessment organization, which applies its own translation rules, sends them to NNAS. See our educational credential assessment guide.
- Your first licence is your first nursing licence, not an earlier midwifery licence. If your country does not license nurses and the diploma gives the right to practise, the school sends the diploma.
- Third parties must show "the organization's name, return address, and official seal or stamp" on what they send.
- Language tests go elsewhere. Since October 14, 2022, NNAS no longer collects language scores; send them to the regulator.
Who can translate documents for NNAS?
Three sources, and no others. NNAS's FAQ says: "All Documents for your NNAS application must be written or translated into English or French," and lists the options:
- an approved institution, such as your college, university or licensing authority;
- a certified translator;
- NNAS itself, for a fee.
For identity documents the rule is explicit: they "must be translated by a certified translator into either English or French," and "The translated documents must be sent to NNAS directly from the translator."
Every translation must include:
- the translator's official stamp and/or identification number, address, phone number and the date of translation;
- a statement by the translator that it is a true representation of the original;
- the translator's printed name and original signature, which the handbook says must not be "a copy or a stamp".
NNAS refuses translations by the applicant or anyone related to the applicant, "even if you or your relative is a certified translator."
NNAS does not define "certified translator" on its site, but the stamp or identification number it asks for is how certification by a translators' association is shown. In Canada that means a member of a provincial body such as ATIO in Ontario, OTTIAQ in Quebec or STIBC in British Columbia. Official Translations is not a member of any of them and does not use the title, so our translations do not meet NNAS's rule. Use one of the three routes above.
How do notarized identity documents work?
You need two forms of identification, at least one with a current photo; expired documents are refused. NNAS lists passports, driver's licences and other government photo ID, plus birth certificates, legal name change documents, marriage certificates and divorce decrees.
Each copy must be a certified true copy made while you are present: in Canada by a notary public or a lawyer, outside Canada by an official with legal authority to certify true copies, and never by you or a family member. The certification needs the official's signature and seal, address, phone number and date, and a statement that they saw the originals, made the copies, certify them as true copies and are not related to you.
If an identity document is not in English or French, the order matters. NNAS's FAQ says "your original identity documents must be notarized as certified true copies before the translations are done." The certified translator then mails the translation to NNAS. NNAS's 2024 handbook also describes certifying the translated copies, so confirm the sequence with Applicant Support if in doubt.
Do provincial regulators have their own translation rules?
Yes, and Ontario's is the strictest. The College of Nurses of Ontario wants every document in English or French, including those from official sources. It accepts translations from the official source, from the issuing country's consulate or embassy in Canada, or from a Canadian mission abroad. Otherwise it takes certified translators, whose statement must affirm that "the translator is an accredited member of a provincial association, society or corporation." The translator "must send the translated document directly to CNO, not to you," and CNO "will not accept translations completed by candidates for certification."
That rule excludes Official Translations as well, because we are not members of a provincial association. CNO points applicants to ATIO, OTTIAQ and the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) to find one.
In British Columbia, verification forms "must be sent to BCCNM directly from the employer or regulator and must be completed in English." NNAS also warns that "Some regulators require documents to be sent in English only," so check before choosing French.
What does NNAS cost, and how long does it take?
| Item | Expedited Service | RPN Pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Main application | CA$750 (RN and LPN, any participating regulators) | US$650 (one profession, one regulator) |
| NNAS translation, per page | CA$115 | US$85 |
| Reactivating an expired application | CA$240 | US$180 |
| Appeal | CA$500 | US$500 |
| Advisory Report target | 5 business days after the last document | 12 weeks after the last document |
NNAS does not refund application fees. An application stays open for 12 months and expires if third-party documents have not all arrived. Apply to your regulator within a year of the Advisory Report's issue date; NNAS warns that otherwise you may need to re-apply.
Applicants who cannot obtain documents because of displacement or conflict can ask NNAS's applicant navigators about its alternative process.
What about the immigration side of a nursing file?
IRCC applies a different rule, and it is the part of your move where we can help. For a work permit or permanent residence, IRCC asks for a translation by a certified translator or, when the translator is not certified, a translation accompanied by the translator's sworn affidavit. Applicants, relatives and representatives may not translate. See IRCC translation requirements, certified translation vs sworn affidavit and work permit documents.
Why NNAS files stall
The applicant sends the translation. It must be mailed by the translator.
A missing stamp, ID number or original signature. A scanned or stamped signature fails.
A relative translates, even one who holds certification.
Identity documents translated before they were notarized, or notarized by someone who did not see the originals.
Names that do not match across passport, diploma and licence, with no explanation.
Ontario translations from a translator who is not an accredited member of a provincial association.
Slow third parties. The 12-month clock runs while you wait for schools and regulators.
Checklist: NNAS documents and translations
Questions people ask
Who can translate my documents for NNAS?
Only the institution that issued the document, a certified translator, or NNAS itself for a fee. The translation must show the translator's stamp or identification number, contact details, date, a statement of accuracy and an original signature, and NNAS refuses translations by the applicant or any relative.
Can I upload or mail the translation myself?
No. NNAS says all certified translations must be mailed to NNAS directly from the translator. Only your notarized identity documents are submitted by you, through the applicant portal.
How much does NNAS charge to translate documents?
NNAS lists CA$115 per page on the Expedited Service and US$85 per page on the RPN Pathway. It does not translate forms automatically, so you must request the translation and agree to the cost.
Do I need to notarize documents before translating them?
For identity documents, yes. NNAS's FAQ says original identity documents not in English or French must be notarized as certified true copies before the translations are done, and the notary must see you and the originals in person.
Does Ontario still use NNAS?
The College of Nurses of Ontario now asks internationally educated applicants to have their education verified by WES, ICAS or ICES, and says it will continue to accept NNAS Expedited reports prepared by TruMerit, formerly CGFNS. Its own translation rule requires an accredited member of a provincial translators' association who sends the translation directly to CNO.
Does Quebec use NNAS?
No. NNAS reports are accepted by every nursing regulator except those in Quebec and the territories. Nurses who want to practise in Quebec apply to the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec, and professional orders there require an appropriate knowledge of French.
Can Official Translations translate my NNAS documents?
No. NNAS asks for a certified translator, and CNO for an accredited member of a provincial association; Official Translations is neither, so use the institution, a certified translator or NNAS. We can translate the documents for your IRCC work permit or permanent residence application, with the sworn affidavit IRCC accepts.
