Become a licensed practical nurse in Manitoba through a CLPNM-approved diploma program, graduate practical nurse registration, and the CPNRE — plus the endorsement and internationally educated nurse routes.
Applies in: Manitoba
Graduate from a CLPNM-approved Diploma in Practical Nursing program, register as a graduate practical nurse, pass the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE), and then apply for practising registration as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba (CLPNM) is the Government-authorized regulator for all practical nurses in Manitoba, and you must be registered with the CLPNM to practise as an LPN in the province. The Licensed Practical Nurses Act sets out the registers the CLPNM keeps — practising licensed practical nurses, graduate practical nurses, and students — and the conditions for registration.
Do not follow Ontario steps for this. In Ontario the same profession is called Registered Practical Nurse (RPN), and Ontario has its own regulator and process. This guide covers Manitoba only.
The first requirement is graduation from a practical nursing education program approved by the CLPNM board. The CLPNM evaluates programs against its Standards of Education, re-evaluates each program fully at least every five years, and monitors programs annually. The institutions the CLPNM lists as holding approval to deliver the Diploma in Practical Nursing program are:
Apply to the school directly. Admission requirements, start dates, and program delivery are set by each institution, not by the CLPNM, so confirm them with the school before you apply.
While you are in an approved program, you register with the CLPNM as a student practical nurse (SPN). The Act provides that the executive director approves a student registration application when the applicant is a student in a practical nursing education program approved by the college, pays the fee set out in the by-laws, and meets any other requirements in the regulations. If a student application is refused, the applicant may appeal to the CLPNM board.
After graduation, you apply to register as a graduate practical nurse (GPN). Graduate registration is the step that makes you eligible to write the exam: all Manitoba exam candidates must hold a current graduate practical nurse registration with the CLPNM before taking the CPNRE.
Since December 1, 2023, GPN registration requires holding professional liability protection through the Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS), with a minimum limit of protection of five million dollars, renewed annually. You register for CNPS professional liability protection and core services as part of the GPN registration application process. You apply for the exam and for graduate registration, and pay the appropriate fees, before the exam and graduate application deadline.
The Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE) is the entry-to-practice examination for practical nurses in Manitoba and most of Canada. It is a computer-based exam administered by Meazure Learning and delivered using secure online proctoring through Meazure's partner, ProctorU. The CLPNM runs the exam in monthly testing windows, and candidates who are eligible to write it are notified of the test application deadline directly by the CLPNM.
If you need an accommodation to write the CPNRE, make your request in writing to the CLPNM at least eight months before the date you expect to write the exam. You will be asked to show that your post-secondary institution granted you an accommodation at the program or institutional level, and to provide documentation from a regulated health care professional supporting the need. Accommodations are granted at the CLPNM's discretion.
Once you have passed the CPNRE, you apply for initial enrolment and licensing as a practising licensed practical nurse. Under section 8(1) of the Act, the executive director approves an application for registration as a licensed practical nurse when the applicant:
An approval may be made subject to conditions, and a member whose registration is subject to conditions must practise only in accordance with those conditions. If an application is not approved, or is approved subject to conditions, the executive director must give written notice with reasons and advise the applicant of the right to appeal to the board. An appeal is made by filing a written notice with the board within 30 days of receiving the decision.
If you are registered as an LPN in another Canadian jurisdiction and are moving to Manitoba, use the CLPNM's endorsement pathway. It supports the labour mobility chapter of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement: holding LPN registration in good standing in another province or territory acts as evidence that some, but not all, of the CLPNM's registration requirements are met, so review the endorsement application requirements carefully to see which requirements you still need to satisfy.
Two special cases are worth knowing about before you apply. If you are moving to Manitoba because of a federal government transfer (National Defence, Armed Forces, or RCMP), contact the CLPNM office before starting the endorsement application, as you may be eligible for an application fee reduction. And if you are registered in good standing in another Canadian jurisdiction and plan to deliver nursing care to clients in Manitoba only by virtual means, you may qualify for a lower-cost, expedited registration for virtual practice.
If you were educated as a nurse outside Canada, you must apply to the CLPNM for a credential assessment. The CLPNM assesses your education, experience, and competence against the entry-level competencies of a Manitoba LPN. For most applicants the steps are:
The full credential assessment process, from submitting the application to LPN registration, may take from six months to over three years; many applicants complete it in one to one and a half years. The CLPNM's official registration decision is communicated in writing. The Government of Manitoba also offers financial assistance for assessment and training costs to internationally educated nurse applicants who are already in Manitoba — see the CLPNM's pathway page for the link to the Manitoba IENs Program.
The CLPNM pages do not publish the dollar amounts for the application, graduate registration, exam, or initial enrolment fees, so this guide gives no fee figures — check the CLPNM fee schedule before you budget. They also do not state a processing time for a domestic graduate's registration application, a deadline for applying for initial enrolment after passing the CPNRE, or how long graduate practical nurse registration lasts. The CLPNM's credential assessment guide for internationally educated nurses is revised August 24, 2026; the approved-programs page was last updated June 30, 2022, so confirm the current program list with the CLPNM before choosing a school.
The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba (CLPNM) is the Government-authorized regulator for all practical nurses in Manitoba. You must be registered with the CLPNM to practise as a licensed practical nurse in the province, and the CLPNM keeps registers of student practical nurses, graduate practical nurses, and licensed practical nurses.
The CLPNM lists three institutions with approval to deliver the Diploma in Practical Nursing program: Assiniboine Community College, University College of the North, and Université de Saint-Boniface. Contact the school directly for admission requirements, start dates, and program details.
Yes, in stages. The Licensed Practical Nurses Act provides for a register of students, and you register as a student practical nurse while you are in an approved program. After graduation you register as a graduate practical nurse, and you must hold current graduate practical nurse registration before you can write the CPNRE.
The Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE), the entry-to-practice examination for practical nurses in Manitoba and most of Canada. It is a computer-based exam administered by Meazure Learning and delivered by secure online proctoring through ProctorU. You apply for the exam and for graduate registration, and pay the applicable fees, before the exam and graduate application deadline.
No. The CLPNM has an endorsement pathway for practical nurses registered in another Canadian jurisdiction, under the labour mobility chapter of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Holding LPN registration in good standing in another province or territory satisfies some, but not all, of the CLPNM's registration requirements, so read the endorsement application requirements carefully before you apply.
Apply for a credential assessment with the CLPNM. The usual steps are to open a file with the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS), apply to the CLPNM, complete a clinical competence assessment and jurisprudence education, complete any bridging education or gap training the CLPNM directs, hold Canadian Nurses Protective Society liability protection, register as a graduate practical nurse, pass the CPNRE, and then apply for LPN initial enrolment and licensing. The full process may take from six months to over three years.