working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

RE: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Aishling O'Doherty — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 21:22:38 GMT

Yes definitely long and pricey unfortunately. I'm not even sure if it's worth it, you don't need to be registered with them to work as a vet tech I'm just hoping it will make getting a job easier and hopefully get better pay...

RE: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Jess — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 21:01:01 GMT

Hey,

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! It's annoying that there will be another exam! I will apply to the ICAS hopefully this month. It seems like it's a long and pricey procedure To getting registered in BC.

Good luck on your move to Vancouver!

RE: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Aishling O'Doherty — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 20:40:15 GMT

Hey I haven't registered yet but will be doing it in the next few weeks, headed to Vancouver in February. I was talking to a woman who works for the BCVTA and there actually is an exam to take to be registered which is annoying.

RE: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Jess — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 14:00:23 GMT

Hi there,

I know it has been awhile since anyone posted but wanted to know if anyone had managed to become registered in BC yet? I will apply to the ICAS as that is who the BCVTA said I need to apply through to get my qualfication assessed. I just wondered if anyone had been successful yet in their endeavour of becoming an AHT yet And the steps they had to take. I have a level 3 Diploma myself.

Thanks!

RE: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Aishling O'Doherty — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 14:55:10 GMT

http://bcvta.com this is the site for british columbia animal health technicians. I'm looking to go to Vancouver myself but I'm going to wait till I actually have my visa to get my credentials assessed. I think BC have very recently changed the way they assess immigrants qualifications and now theres no exam or anything you just have to send transcripts of your course to a credential organisation they use....Anyone know if there is much demand for us in Vancouver? There seems to be loads of vets but not very many vacancies advertised...

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Megan Whitehead — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 00:08:00 GMT

The CAAHTT (Canadian Association of Animal Health Technicians and Technologists) has the links for each provincial organization. Also some other helpful info. Forgot about the breed ban :(

Good luck!

Megan

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Rachel Smith — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 18:43:25 GMT

Hi Meg Thanks for the advise. I have since had to change the province I am going to, so will be heading to British Columbia Vancouver as I have a Staffordshire bull terrier which will be coming with me, Ontario have banned these breeds where BC haven't thankfully. I'm finding it difficult where to find out about getting my qualification assessed for this province so if anyone knows the website I'd be very grateful. Thanks again

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Megan Whitehead — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 15:30:11 GMT

I think it would be worthwhile applying directly to the provincial organization for them to assess your case specifically.

Traditionally, across Canada to qualify as a AHT/RVT you must complete a college diploma at an accredited (by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association) institution and then sit the VTNE (Veterinary Technician National Exam). You register in the province in which you will be employed. Ontario is the most stringent province for credentials as they have passed legislation but not all provinces have. Some are in the process of doing so (e.g. Nova Scotia). Individual provinces may assess your suitability and grant you RVT status, or ask you to sit the VTNE. If you are asked to sit the exam (3 hrs mulitple choice) I would recommend doing the online CPD course first--I did it before sitting it and I had just finished my college studies--it is invaluable for review.

Good luck to you! Let us know how you get on.

Cheers,

Meg

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Rachel Smith — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 16:19:53 GMT

Thank you. Yes I have visited this site. Unfortunately I have to go through the assessment program costing $350 to get any information from them. I will do this nearer to the time I'm going but for now I just want to find out as much info as I can before then. Thank you tho :-)

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Julie-Anne Wilson — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 16:14:20 GMT

Rachel check the other thread you started, I posted the link to Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians there and it explains how to find out what you need to do based on what you've already done here.

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Rachel Smith — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 14:47:10 GMT

Thank you for the info :-) I am purely small animal, have basic equine and exotic experience. Is this the case for working in Ontario? Would it be difficult to get a job there in vet nursing? As I understand from what I have read a British VN can not be registered there? But I'm finding it difficult to find out what course or exam I'd need to take in Canada in order to do so?

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Mark Hedberg — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 11:45:05 GMT

Alberta is very pro-VN, there's a restriction in that you cant' do large animal but for SA they like UK training.

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Rachel Smith — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 19:35:07 GMT

Hi SBailey I know it was a while ago since you posted on here. I am embarking on the same route as you are with Canada, and would love to move to Toronto which is in Ontario. Did you ever sort out getting to Canada? And is its impossible to work there as a qualified VN with a Diploma L3 qualification? Is the course something I could do before I leave England? Online for example? Any help would be amazing.

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Sbailey — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:42:29 GMT

Well some good news at least. Apparently I can go to British Columbia and be an AHT (Animal Health Technician/Technologist). However I cant be registered there at this time for same reasons I cant be registered in Ontario as a VT. I am unsure if I can be unregistered in Ontario, I have yet to be able to make contact with the right person, rather than their answer machine. I believe it will likely be the fact I have done little large animal in my course.

BC inform me that in time Canada will become more union on the RVT side of things and that I will need to be registered in the end if I join them as an AHT. However they also informed me that when this comes into effect (a number of years away yet). They will not simply tell me I can stop practicing if I am an AHT. Likely a small exam will be in order to prove my worth. Once registered it will be able to be carried all the way across Canada. They also inform me that they are trying hard to find ways in which they can better allow internationally trained nurses come into the country but again, this is probably going to take a few years to be done.

So thankfully not entirely doom and gloom. Canada is back on track, but perhaps a different province if Ontario is truly at a loss.

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Robocop — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 22:11:22 GMT

I'm so sorry Sbailey, thats rubbish. I hope they give you some answers as to why it wasn't accepted.

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Sbailey — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 21:38:57 GMT

Well after a looooooong time, my application has been turned down for Ontario today . I shall find details on Monday as to why and what I can do about it. My alternative place to move to is in fact to move to Vancouver as I am after somewhere to ski. So I wonder if you can perhaps ask your friend how she did it? It would be extremely helpful. I know it has been a long time since I have messaged on this thread so I hope you pick up this message. :)

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Angiy Michael — Sat, 26 May 2012 23:02:49 GMT

Hi , It depends on the province as technicians are governed on a province by province basis unlike here where the whole United Kingdom is governed by the RCVS. I have a friend who went to Vancouver as an RVN and now works as a technician there and I could ask her more about the process she went through if you are interested ? Also IVNTA ..the International Veterinary Technicians Association are worth contacting

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

chanel clydesdale — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:10:33 GMT

Hi there,

I have an email from the british columbian vet board that they sent me as I enquired a couple of months back me. Please pm me your email address and I will forward the email on to you :-)

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Sbailey — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:03:37 GMT

Update to VN in Canada. I have spoken today to the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada. Sadly they do not allow Vet Nurses who have obtained their qualification through NVQ to become veterinary technicians in Ontario. However they explained that a degree will be viewed differently but does not know yet if it would be counted. I shall be sending off my docs as soon as I can get hold of them all as I need to get copies/originals from GCSEs to A levels to degree.

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Sbailey — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:10:20 GMT

Hey there :)

I am currently looking to move to Canada next year so will be putting through my application to have my qualification assessed in the next week or so. Which province are you looking at going to? Do you have a degreee or NVQ? I have done a reasonable amount of research thus far into becomming a Vet tech over there but I shall hold off posting it all until I get some feedback with my application so that I dont post anything incorrect. I am intending to goto Ontario.

Re: working as a veterinary nurse in canada!

Tracy Windler RVN — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:34:53 GMT

From the research I have done, you have to be registered as an Animal Health Technician over there, but I'm sure that just meant sitting an exam to register, or perhaps doing a top-up course. I found information on it at www.cvbc.ca (College of Veterinarians of British Columbia) as that's where I was interested in moving. They also have ads for job vacancies. Good luck!