How to Become a Registered Nurse in Saskatchewan

In Saskatchewan, you must be registered and licensed to practice registered nursing with the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRNS) before you can work as a registered nurse or call yourself a nurse, registered nurse, or graduate nurse. RNs must hold a valid licence with the CRNS and renew annually for the period of December 1 to November 30. This guide walks the full path: the approved education, the exam, the graduate nurse licence, and full RN licensure — plus the separate paths for nurses already registered elsewhere in Canada and nurses trained outside Canada.

Step 1: Complete a CRNS-approved nursing program in Saskatchewan

Start with a baccalaureate nursing program the CRNS approves. Saskatchewan has two routes to the same degree:

• University of Saskatchewan (USask) — Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The BSN is a four-year program: one pre-professional year, followed by three years of nursing education. Years two through four can be completed at College of Nursing campuses in Saskatoon and Prince Albert, or through distributed learning sites in Île-à-la-Crosse, La Ronge, Lloydminster, Muenster, North Battleford, Swift Current, Weyburn, and Yorkton. The program is fully accredited through the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) and received a full seven-year program approval from the CRNS in September 2026. To become eligible for licensure with the CRNS, graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) administered by Pearson VUE and pay the required fees.
• Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (SCBScN) and After Degree Nursing Program (ADNP) — University of Regina and Saskatchewan Polytechnic. The CRNS has approved both programs, and both are accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing. When you successfully complete the SCBScN or ADNP, you are awarded a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree by the University of Regina in affiliation with Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Graduates are eligible for recommendation to write the national registration exam administered by the CRNS, and must pass the national registration exam to obtain registration with the CRNS and practise as a Registered Nurse.

Confirm your program is CRNS-approved before you enrol — approval is what makes you eligible for recommendation to write the NCLEX-RN through Saskatchewan.

Step 2: Apply to write the NCLEX-RN

The NCLEX-RN is the exam for initial RN registration in Saskatchewan. The CRNS provides your eligibility to write it: you may apply for the NCLEX only after you receive a decision letter (letter of eligibility) from the CRNS indicating that you are eligible to apply for the exam. When you receive the decision letter, the CRNS also shares the applications for the NCLEX and the graduate nurse licence.

Two fees apply. The CRNS exam application fee for the NCLEX for RNs is $130.00 plus $6.50 GST, $136.50 in total, under the CRNS fee schedule for the December 1, 2026 to November 30, 2027 membership year. The fee to write the exam with Pearson VUE is $360 CAD. You may write the NCLEX-RN only once every 45 days — a Pearson VUE rule. The CRNS strongly encourages applicants to review the NCLEX-RN information on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website.

Step 3: Work as a graduate nurse while you wait

You do not have to wait for exam day to start working. Once you have applied to write the NCLEX, you are eligible to apply for a graduate nurse licence with the CRNS. New nursing graduates are eligible for a GN licence with the CRNS: a GN licence is a four-month temporary licence and can be renewed for a maximum of two four-month periods. The GN licence requires that you be supervised by a registered nurse, and nursing graduates cannot work without a GN licence. A four-month graduate nurse registration costs $170.52 plus $8.53 GST, $179.05 in total, under the December 2026 to November 2027 fee schedule.

Step 4: Write and pass the NCLEX-RN

Write the exam at your scheduled Pearson VUE testing centre. When you successfully complete the RN licensure exam — the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) — and meet the requirements for licensure, you can apply for an RN licence. The CRNS recognizes all passing NCLEX results back to 1982, so if you have already passed the NCLEX you do not have to take it again, but the CRNS requires a copy of the results directly from the source — the regulatory body where you wrote the exam.

Step 5: Apply for your practising RN licence

Once you have passed the NCLEX-RN and met all the requirements, apply for a practising RN licence. Under the CRNS fee schedule for the December 1, 2026 to November 30, 2027 membership year, a full-year practising RN registration is $464.10 plus $23.21 GST, $487.31 in total. The schedule also lists lower totals for registrations starting later in the year: $292.38 from June 2027 and $194.92 from September 2027. All fees can be paid with credit card, e-Transfer, or cheque, are non-refundable, and must be paid within 90 days of application or request to avoid cancellation.

Professional liability protection is required for licensure. Effective July 16, 2026, all applicants eligible for licensing are required to obtain the liability protection directly from the Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS). RNs must renew their licences within the renewal period of October 1 to November 30; renewal at any other time is subject to a late renewal fee or reinstatement fee in addition to licensing fees. Participation in the CRNS Continuing Competence Program is mandatory for all RNs.

If you are already an RN in another Canadian jurisdiction

Apply as a Canadian RN. If you are licensed in a Canadian jurisdiction you are not considered an internationally educated applicant, and you use the Canadian RN route. The CRNS Canadian RN application instructions set out what to provide:

• Identity documents: a clear, readable piece of government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's licence or passport (not expired, with a signature), and a birth certificate showing your full name, birth date, and sex at birth.
• Criminal record check: upload a Canadian criminal record check from within the last six months, from your city police, the RCMP, or CSI Background Screening. If you have worked as a registered nurse outside Canada within the last ten years, also upload an international criminal record check for each country where you worked.
• English proficiency: if English was not your primary language as a child, provide one form of proof — successful completion of one of the approved tests of English within the last two years (Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses, CELBAN; International English Language Testing System, IELTS, Academic version; Occupational English Test, OET; or Pearson PTE Academic), or proof of at least one year of employment in an English-speaking role (care aide, practical nurse, or registered nurse) in Canada, the USA, the UK, New Zealand, or Australia with an employer attestation, or evidence of successful completion of a Canadian RN re-entry program.
• Exam and registration history: enter the nurse licensing exam you wrote (for example, NCLEX-RN), the province or state that made you eligible for the exam, and the date you passed it. Declare any and all jurisdictions where you have held a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse licence, with the registration number, province or state, first licensed date, and expiry date. The CRNS requires verifications directly from the regulatory body for your current jurisdiction and the jurisdiction that made you eligible for your exam.
• Employment history: complete the RN Employment/Education History form with all employment history. Only paid RN employment can be entered as hours — overtime, on-call hours, care aide, LPN, and volunteer hours cannot be counted. The registration year runs from December 1 of one year to November 30 of the next, so add hours accordingly.

Timelines and requirements vary depending on the applicant, and the online form is the most accurate and up-to-date source — check it before contacting the CRNS.

If you trained as a nurse outside Canada

Internationally educated nurses follow a separate path, and in Saskatchewan the NNAS comes first — this is mandatory, unlike in Alberta. The CRNS internationally educated nurse FAQ sets out the process:

1. Apply to the NNAS first. All nurses who were educated outside of Canada and are seeking initial registration in Saskatchewan as an RN must first complete an application to the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS). The NNAS verifies credentials for internationally educated nurses, compares them to Canadian standards, and provides a secure, centralized electronic repository for education and registration credentials. Do not apply to the CRNS until the advisory report is ready.
2. Apply to the CRNS. You may begin your application process with the CRNS after your NNAS assessment is complete and you have been issued an advisory report from the NNAS. Create an account with the CRNS, provide your NNAS ID number and NNAS application number and your date of birth, and complete the online internationally educated nurse membership application, submitting the required fee at the end. The internationally educated nurse application fee is $500.00 plus $25.00 GST, $525.00 in total, under the December 2026 to November 2027 fee schedule. The CRNS has a no-refund policy.
3. Wait for the CRNS to open your file. You will receive an email within two weeks of submitting your application and fee notifying you that your application and fee have been received, and you will then see your online checklist when you sign in to your CRNS account. Each application is assessed individually, and the time required to establish registration can vary significantly. The CRNS cannot fast-track applications for any reason.
4. Receive your outcome. Once all required documents have been received and your application is reviewed, possible outcomes include: a referral for a Substantially Equivalent Competency (SEC) Assessment; a referral for RN bridging if you do not meet the currency of practice requirement or remediation is required; eligibility to write the NCLEX-RN (once you have applied to write the NCLEX, you are eligible to apply for a graduate nurse licence); eligibility to apply for RN licensure if you have previously written and passed the NCLEX; or a recommendation to pursue additional formal education.
5. Complete any assessment or bridging assigned. If you are referred for a SEC Assessment, you have 12 months to submit the assessment fee, book the SEC with Saskatchewan Polytechnic, and complete the assessment. Depending on the outcome, remedial education may be assigned to address any identified gaps. If you do not meet the currency of practice requirement, you may be referred to the Registered Nursing Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Nurses offered by Saskatchewan Polytechnic.

The registration requirements you must meet include:

• Education: graduation from a basic registered nursing education program at a post-secondary level that includes theoretical and clinical experience across the health continuum and providing care to clients of all ages and genders in a variety of health settings.
• Initial and current registration: you must have been registered in good standing in the jurisdiction where you completed your RN education program, and in the jurisdiction where you most recently worked as an RN, with verification sent directly by those jurisdictions.
• Language proficiency: English is the primary language used in health care in Saskatchewan, and you must be proficient in English. Acceptable English language test results must remain current throughout the application and exam process until RN licensure is obtained. The CRNS also accepts proof of completion of a baccalaureate, re-entry, or bridging program delivered in Canada, the USA, the UK, New Zealand, or Australia, or an employer attestation if you have worked in an English-speaking role in one of those countries with the same employer for the previous two years.
• Good character: evidence that you have not been convicted of a criminal offence or found guilty of an offence under the Criminal Code (Canada), the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada), or similar legislation, or any offence related to the practice of nursing or another profession.
• Currency of practice: in the previous three years, you must have either worked in registered nursing activities approved by the college, completed an approved re-entry program, or completed an approved nursing education program and passed the NCLEX-RN exam. If you do not meet the currency of practice requirement, you may be required to complete a bridging program.
• Criminal record checks: a criminal record check is not required at the time of your internationally educated nurse application, but it is required at the time of graduate nurse or RN licensure. You must go to the police or RCMP station where you live to request one, and you also require a criminal record check from the country where you last practised as an RN. The reports must be issued within the previous six months of the date of application for licensure.

Applications remain valid for one year from the date of last contact by the applicant with the CRNS. If documents are not received within 12 months, the application will expire and you must reapply.

What this guide could not verify

The minimum scores for the accepted English language tests (CELBAN, IELTS Academic, OET, and Pearson PTE Academic) were not published on the CRNS pages, so no English test scores are stated here; check the CRNS acceptable English tests page before you apply. A processing or decision timeline for a Canadian-educated new graduate's RN application was not published on the CRNS pages, so no timeline is stated for that stream; the two-week email acknowledgement in this guide applies to internationally educated nurse applications only. Bachelor of Science in Nursing tuition amounts at Saskatchewan schools were not verified on the pages, so no tuition figure is stated. The fees in this guide are the CRNS fee schedule for the December 1, 2026 to November 30, 2027 membership year; fees for any other membership year were not stated. Check the CRNS fee schedule and the applicant portal for the current figures before you apply.

Related guides:

• How to Become a Registered Nurse in Ontario — the Ontario RN path through the College of Nurses of Ontario, for comparison with Saskatchewan's CRNS process.
• How to Become a Registered Nurse in British Columbia — the British Columbia RN path, including its own regulator and exam steps.
• How to Become a Registered Nurse in Manitoba — the Manitoba RN path, where internationally educated nurses also start with the NNAS, like Saskatchewan.
• How to Become a Nurse Practitioner in Ontario — the next step after RN registration for nurses who want extended-class practice.
• Foreign Credential Recognition Roadmap — the Canada-wide overview of getting foreign credentials recognized, the companion read for internationally educated nurses.

Sources

• College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan, Internationally Educated Nurse Application Process FAQ — NNAS first for internationally educated nurses; registration requirements including education, initial and current registration, language proficiency, good character, and currency of practice; the SEC Assessment and bridging referrals; the 12-month SEC window; the one-year application validity; criminal record checks within six months at licensure; NCLEX eligibility after the decision letter; NCLEX results recognized back to 1982.
• College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan, Membership and Administration Fee Schedule — December 1, 2026 to November 30, 2027 membership year; practising RN registration $487.31 in total; graduate nurse four-month registration $179.05 in total; internationally educated nurse application $525.00 in total; NCLEX exam application fee $136.50 in total; renewal period October 1 to November 30; liability protection directly from CNPS effective July 16, 2026; fees non-refundable.
• College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan, Fast Facts for Managers of RNs — RNs renew annually for December 1 to November 30; the graduate nurse licence is a four-month temporary licence renewable for a maximum of two four-month periods, requires supervision by an RN, and nursing graduates cannot work without one; Continuing Competence Program participation is mandatory.
• College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan, Canadian RN Application Instructions — government-issued photo identification and birth certificate; Canadian criminal record check within the last six months; accepted English tests (CELBAN, IELTS Academic, OET, Pearson PTE Academic) within the last two years or one year of English-speaking employment; verifications from the current and exam-eligibility jurisdictions; only paid RN hours count; registration year December 1 to November 30.
• University of Saskatchewan, Bachelor of Science in Nursing — four-year BSN with one pre-professional year and three years of nursing education; CASN accreditation and full seven-year CRNS program approval in September 2026; Saskatoon and Prince Albert campuses and distributed learning sites; graduates must pass the NCLEX and pay the required fees for CRNS licensure.
• Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Professional Licensing — SCBScN and ADNP approved by the CRNS and accredited by CASN; BScN awarded by the University of Regina in affiliation with Saskatchewan Polytechnic; graduates must pass the national registration exam to obtain CRNS registration.
• College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, NCLEX-RN Exam — the $360 CAD fee to write the NCLEX-RN; once every 45 days under the Pearson VUE rule; registration with Pearson VUE.