Practice Years

All permits from the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) are active for a maximum of one year. The CRNA's practice year starts on Oct. 1 and ends on Sept. 30 and most permits expire at the end of this term. Depending on your application, your permit start date may fall anywhere within this year. There are some exceptions for courtesy and provisional permits.

How Long Will the Application Process Take? 

Once the CRNA receives all the completed requirements for a permit application, it can take up to four weeks to receive an application decision. The timelines for the assigned outcomes vary upon availability.

When Should I Apply?

When you start your initial permit application, the first step is to select a permit effective date. You can apply at any time for any start date within the following 90 days. 

When Do I Renew My Permit? 

The permit fee is paid annually, renewing in September of each year. Your College Connect account will contain more information about how to renew your permit. Renewal opens August 1 and closes September 30. The fee covers the cost of the CRNA facilitating the regulatory process to assure the Alberta public that registrants provide safe, competent and ethical nursing care. 

If you do not renew, you can no longer work as a registered nurse or nurse practitioner in Alberta. The CRNA will inform employers of expired permits to ensure their employees are not practising without a permit. 

What are the Exceptions for Provisional Permits?

Provisional permits allow you to work as a graduate nurse (GN) or graduate nurse practitioner (GNP) under certain conditions, while you work to meet the requirement of writing and passing the NCLEX-RN exam. If you apply for a provisional permit:  

• It will be issued for a maximum of six months at a time, for up to a total of twelve months.  
• You cannot practise in Alberta either before the effective date or after the expiry date, including orientation.  
• All provisional permits issued between Oct. 1 and March 31 will expire on March 31, and all provisional permits issued between April 1 and Sept. 30 will expire on Sept. 30.  

Your provisional permit authorizes you to use the title graduate nurse while the permit is in effect. You may only call yourself a registered nurse (RN) or nurse practitioner (NP) in Alberta once you have met all the requirements for RN registration in Alberta and the CRNA has approved your RN permit.

What are the Exceptions for Courtesy Permits?

Courtesy permits are for select temporary practice in Alberta. They may be issued for a maximum of three months and will not extend beyond the expiry of your current registration.