How to Become a Nurse Practitioner in Alberta
How to become a nurse practitioner in Alberta: CRNA registration, the approved NP program, the 4,500-hour rule, the CNPE exam, and the permit application.
How to Become a Nurse Practitioner in Newfoundland and Labrador
Become a nurse practitioner in Newfoundland and Labrador through the NL College of Nurses: RN licensure first, the Memorial MScN Nurse Practitioner program, the CNPE/FAA, and NP registration.
Applies in: Newfoundland and Labrador
The short answer
To practise as a nurse practitioner in Newfoundland and Labrador you must hold RN licensure with the NL College of Nurses, complete a graduate nurse practitioner program, pass the approved NP licensure examination, and register as an NP with the College. Nurse practitioner is an additional registration class under the NL College of Nurses (NLCN), on top of registered nurse registration. It is not a separate college. The sequence matters: the College requires NP applicants to establish RN licensure first, and only then to submit the NP exam application.
The regulator is the NL College of Nurses
The NL College of Nurses was formed on April 15, 2026, when the College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador (CRNNL) and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador (CLPNNL) officially merged. The merger brought nursing regulation in the province together under a single organization for the first time. The College now regulates four nursing designations: registered nurses (RNs), nurse practitioners (NPs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs). Its authority comes from the Nurses Act.
Use the current name everywhere. Do not apply to the CRNNL and do not cite it as the regulator: the CRNNL concluded its mandate on April 15, 2026, and its final annual report marks the close of that chapter. The College's website is nlcn.ca, and its policies are published under the NL College of Nurses name.
Step 1: Hold RN licensure with the College
Before the NP steps begin, you must hold RN licensure with the College. The College's licensure exams policy, approved July 2026, states the rule plainly: new graduates of a nurse practitioner education program seeking NP licensure, and internationally educated nurse practitioners seeking initial NP licensure, who have not previously passed the approved NP licensure exam must first establish RN licensure with the College. Once RN licensure is granted, they must submit the NP exam application to the College.
This guide does not re-walk the RN route beyond that handoff point. If you are not yet a registered nurse in the province, the steps are in our How to Become a Registered Nurse in Newfoundland and Labrador guide: the Memorial University BScN, the exam-candidate application through the College's Nurse Portal, the NCLEX-RN, and the temporary and practising licences.
Step 2: Complete the Memorial MScN Nurse Practitioner program
The in-province program is Memorial University's Master of Science in Nursing, Nurse Practitioner option. Memorial's admission page sets out the requirements. The deadline to apply is January 15 every year for intake in the Fall semester. Applicants to the MScN Nurse Practitioner option must:
- Have a bachelor's degree in nursing with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B).
- Have completed an undergraduate statistics course and research methods course with a minimum grade of B (65%) in both.
- Have obtained a minimum of 3,900 clinical hours as a registered nurse, with current clinical experience.
- Be a primary resident of Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Be licensed to practise as an RN in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The application checklist asks for an online application, all post-secondary transcripts, confirmation of degree, proof of English proficiency, a CV, two reference letters (one professional and one academic), an employment verification letter or screenshot from your employee portal showing your total hours worked as an RN, and a Graduate Nursing Form (NP). Late applications are not considered, so treat January 15 as a hard deadline. If you completed your NP education outside the province, confirm with the College that your program is accepted before you apply for the examination.
Step 3: Apply for the NP examination
Once RN licensure is in place, submit the NP exam application to the College. The College has two application portals, the LPN Portal and the RN Portal, and applicants must use the portal for the designation they seek. As an NP applicant you apply through the RN Portal. The College's licensure exams policy is the document that sets the examination rules, so read it alongside the application itself.
Internationally educated nurse practitioners follow the same RN-first sequence. You must hold a current RN practising licence or be eligible for RN licensure with the College to apply for licensure assessment as an internationally educated nurse practitioner. You also need an educational credential assessment of your NP education program. The College's internationally educated NP page sets out the process: review the Internationally Educated NP Licensure Process Explained document, complete the initial NP licensure form, and provide the assessment report. Email the College at registration@nlcn.ca to request a copy of the application form. You must complete your own application. You cannot use an immigration consultant, company, or any other third party to complete or take part in the College's application process, and if a third party is involved you may no longer be eligible to seek licensure.
Step 4: Pass the CNPE/FAA
The College's licensure exams policy names the approved examinations. For the Family/All Ages stream, the approved exam is the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Exam/Family All-Ages (CNPE/FAA), in place since 2007 and administered by Meazure Learning-Yardstick. For the Adult stream, the approved exam is the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board Adult-Gerontology primary care exam, in place since April 2014. For the Pediatrics stream, the College does not currently grant exam eligibility for initial registration.
The attempt limit is strict: NP applicants have a maximum of four attempts within a three-year period following their graduation date. If you do not pass within the specified number of attempts or within the eligibility period, you are no longer eligible to seek licensure with the College. Applicants for the LPN and NP exams can request a rescore or an accommodation by completing the request forms the College provides.
One change is coming. The single national Canadian Nurse Practitioner Licensure Examination (CNPLE) launched in 2026 and is replacing the stream-specific exams, with each province switching on its own timeline. The College's July 2026 policy still names the CNPE/FAA as the approved Family/All Ages exam, so that is the exam this guide states. Confirm with the College which examination your cohort writes before you register for one.
Step 5: Register as an NP and take out a practising licence
A person applying to become registered as a nurse practitioner in Newfoundland and Labrador must submit satisfactory proof of successful exam completion before being approved for a practising licence. Do not practise as an NP, or hold yourself out as one, until that licence is in place.
You do not have to wait for exam day to start working. The College states that you may be eligible for a temporary NP licence to practise while waiting to take the NP licensure exam. Ask the College whether you qualify and what conditions apply to a temporary licence.
If you already hold an active practising licence as an NP in another Canadian jurisdiction, the College may accept that as satisfactory proof that you have completed an approved licensure exam. If you do not hold an active practising licence elsewhere, the College may require a Verification of Registration document from the nursing regulatory body where you were first licensed. Nurse practitioners who were first licensed in Canada before a national NP exam existed, around 2007, may be licensed under labour mobility through the Canada Free Trade Agreement.
What it costs: the 2026–27 College fees
The College publishes its fees for 2026–27, and all prices include HST:
- NP Family/All Ages exam (CNPE): $887.50, paid directly to the exam administrator (YAS)
- NP exam assessment fee: $86.25
- NP exam retake assessment: $57.50
- Initial application processing fee: $172.50
- Annual licensure fee: $402.47 — this does not include professional liability protection
- NP professional liability protection (Canadian Nurses Protective Society core services): $183.43, paid directly to the CNPS
- Temporary NP licence: no additional charge, as you must already hold a current RN practising licence
One timing note on the Adult stream: the College's pathways policy lists the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board Adult-Gerontology exam as the approved Adult exam up to Summer 2027. Confirm with the College which exam your cohort writes before you register for one.
What the opened pages do not state
No NP examination date or processing time was published on the pages opened for this draft, so this guide states neither — the fees above are the College's published 2026–27 figures. No domestic step-by-step NP application checklist was published on the pages opened either. The College's NP pages publish the examination policy and the internationally educated NP process, but the domestic NP application form and fee schedule were not among the pages opened. Confirm the current form, fees, and examination dates with the NL College of Nurses before you apply. This guide also states no salary figure and no program tuition, because none was verified on a Memorial or College page opened for this draft.
Related guides
- How to Become a Registered Nurse in Newfoundland and Labrador — the step before this guide: the Memorial University BScN, the NL College of Nurses exam-candidate application, the NCLEX-RN, and the temporary and practising licences.
- How to Become a Nurse Practitioner in Nova Scotia — the Nova Scotia route: the Dalhousie Master of Nursing Nurse Practitioner program and registration with the Nova Scotia Nursing and Midwifery Regulator.
- How to Become a Nurse Practitioner in Ontario — the Ontario route: the CNO Extended Class, the approved NP program, and the national licensing examination.
- How to Become a Midwife in Canada — another regulated Canadian health profession with its own college, education program, and registration examination.
- How to Get a Health Card in Newfoundland and Labrador — the province's public health coverage registration, a separate process from professional registration.
From registered nurse to nurse practitioner in Newfoundland and Labrador, in five steps
- Hold RN licensure with the NL College of NursesNP applicants must first establish RN licensure with the College. Only then do they submit the NP exam application.
- Complete the Memorial MScN Nurse Practitioner programApply by January 15 each year for Fall intake. Applicants need a minimum of 3,900 clinical hours as a registered nurse.
- Apply to the College as an NP exam candidateSubmit the NP exam application through the College's RN Portal once RN licensure is in place.
- Pass the CNPE/FAAThe approved exam for the Family/All Ages stream is the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Exam/Family All-Ages, with a maximum of four attempts within three years following graduation.
- Register as an NP and take out a practising licenceThe College must have proof of successful exam completion before it approves a practising licence.
Questions people ask
Do I have to be a registered nurse first to become a nurse practitioner in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Yes. New graduates of a nurse practitioner education program seeking NP licensure must first establish RN licensure with the NL College of Nurses. Once RN licensure is granted, they submit the NP exam application to the College. If you are not yet a registered nurse, start with our [How to Become a Registered Nurse in Newfoundland and Labrador](/guides/how-to-become-a-registered-nurse-in-newfoundland-and-labrador/) guide.
Who regulates nurse practitioners in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The NL College of Nurses (NLCN). It was formed on April 15, 2026, when the College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador (CRNNL) and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador (CLPNNL) merged. It regulates registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses, and registered psychiatric nurses under the Nurses Act. Do not look for the CRNNL: it concluded its mandate when the merger took effect.
Is a nurse practitioner a separate college in Newfoundland and Labrador?
No. Nurse practitioner is an additional registration class under the NL College of Nurses, on top of registered nurse registration. There is no separate nurse practitioner college in the province. You register as an NP with the same College that registers you as an RN.
Which program do I take to become a nurse practitioner in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The in-province program is Memorial University's Master of Science in Nursing, Nurse Practitioner option. The deadline to apply is January 15 each year for intake in the Fall semester. Applicants need a bachelor's degree in nursing with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B), an undergraduate statistics course and a research methods course with a minimum grade of B (65%) in both, a minimum of 3,900 clinical hours as a registered nurse with current clinical experience, primary residence in Newfoundland and Labrador, and a licence to practise as an RN in the province.
Which examination do Newfoundland and Labrador nurse practitioner graduates write?
For the Family/All Ages stream, the approved exam is the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Exam/Family All-Ages (CNPE/FAA), administered by Meazure Learning-Yardstick. For the Adult stream, the approved exam is the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board Adult-Gerontology primary care exam. The College does not currently grant exam eligibility for the Pediatrics stream for initial registration. You have a maximum of four attempts within a three-year period following your graduation date. The single national Canadian Nurse Practitioner Licensure Examination (CNPLE) is replacing stream-specific exams on each province's own timeline, so confirm with the College which exam your cohort writes.
I am already a nurse practitioner in another province. Is my route different?
Yes, in one respect. Active licensure in another Canadian jurisdiction may be accepted by the College as proof that you have successfully completed an approved licensure exam. Nurse practitioners who were first licensed in Canada before a national NP exam existed, around 2007, may be licensed under labour mobility through the Canada Free Trade Agreement. Confirm your route with the College before you apply, because the College may still ask for a Verification of Registration document from your current regulator.
Sources
- NL College of Nurses, Licensure Exams — the approved NP examinations, the RN-first sequence for NP applicants, the four-attempt limit within three years following graduation, the labour mobility exception, and the rescore and accommodation request process. Policy approved July 2026.
- NL College of Nurses, Licensure and Service Fees — the 2026–27 fees: CNPE $887.50, NP exam assessment $86.25, retake assessment $57.50, initial application processing $172.50, annual licensure $402.47, and CNPS NP liability protection $183.43; all prices include HST.
- NL College of Nurses, Newfoundland and Labrador's Nursing Regulators Unite to Form the NL College of Nurses — the CRNNL and CLPNNL merger into the NL College of Nurses, effective April 15, 2026, and the four designations the College regulates.
- NL College of Nurses, Internationally Educated Nurse Practitioner — the RN licence requirement for internationally educated NPs, the educational credential assessment, the temporary NP licence while waiting for the exam, and the application form by email.
- NL College of Nurses, IEN Licensure Pathways — the College's two application portals, the LPN Portal and the RN Portal, and the approved NP examinations, including the AANPCB Adult-Gerontology exam. Policy approved May 2026.
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, Admission — the MScN Nurse Practitioner option admission requirements, the January 15 deadline for Fall intake, and the application checklist.
- NP Circle, How to Become a Nurse Practitioner in Canada — the CNPLE as the single national exam replacing stream-specific exams on each province's own timeline, and the NL College of Nurses as the regulator since April 15, 2026.