Out of Province (Incoming) | Virtual Care Applicants

Are you a current registrant of the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRNS) or the College and Association of Nurses of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut (CANNN) and want to provide virtual care to patients in Alberta? To practise virtual care as a registered nurse (RN), nurse practitioner (NP) or certified graduate nurse (CGN) in Alberta, you need to complete the necessary steps.

Who Can Apply Using This Application?

Before proceeding, you should:

Be employed by an eligible employer for the program in your home jurisdiction
Hold a permit with the CRNS or the CANNN and remain in good standing

To begin the process, you must connect with your employer. They will submit your name to your regulator to start the application for Alberta. The participating employers are:

Alberta Health Services (AB)
Covenant Health (AB)
Indigenous Services Canada (AB/SK)
Saskatchewan Health Authority (SK)
Government of the Northwest Territories (NWT)
Government of Nunavut (NU)

Once your regulator receives all items from your employer, they will verify your permit is in good standing and send notification to the CRNA who will then notify you when you can complete the application.

What Will I Need to Complete the Application?

Provide Government-Issued Identification

You will need to validate your identity through an automated tool from an external organization. You will need a computer or phone camera and valid government-issued identification (e.g., a passport or driver's licence), in English.

Answer the Eligibility Assessment

To assess your eligibility to practise, you'll answer questions about your disciplinary and conduct history, good character and fitness to practise.

Submit a Registration Form

You will need to complete this step if you have a permit from a jurisdiction other than Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut.

The CRNA requires a Verification of Registration form that outlines the additional jurisdictions you were registered within in the last five years, even if you did not practise there. You will need to request the jurisdictions to submit this form directly to the CRNA. This form includes information on your registration, completed education, nursing exams, hours of practice and that you are in good standing with that jurisdiction. You will need one per jurisdiction that is not a participant in the program.

Take Your Required Courses

You will be assigned two no-cost courses to complete. The first course, Protecting Patients from Sexual Abuse and Misconduct, has four components you must complete successfully to receive a certificate. The second course, Jurisprudence 2020, provides information on the regulatory framework that guides nursing practice under the Health Professions Act (HPA) in Alberta.

Complete the Virtual Care Declaration

Attest that you will adhere to the requirements of a virtual care permit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much will the application cost?

Currently, there is no cost to participate in this initiative

$0.00 for your permit once your application is complete*
$0.00 for your Core Service (which includes professional liability protection) from the Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS)**

* Both your home permit and your virtual care permit must be renewed each year.

** Your professional liability protection (PLP) from CNPS extends to nursing services rendered in other Canadian provinces and territories if permit requirements are met in the jurisdiction. A CNPS legal advisor can provide more information. As a CRNA registrant, you are a beneficiary of CNPS Core Services, and all calls with a CNPS legal advisor are free and protected under client-solicitor privilege.

Are there additional fees?

There may be additional fees for:

Verification fees from another jurisdiction

Already received approval from your employer?

Once the CRNA notifies you that you are eligible to begin the virtual care permit application, you will be provided with a College Connect account.

How long will the process take?

Once the CRNA receives all the completed items, the processing time is four to six weeks. You can check the status of your application at any time inside of College Connect.

If you have previously created an account with the CRNA, you do not need to pay the assessment fee again. Contact the CRNA to start this application.

Will there be any limitations on my practice permit in the other jurisdictions I provide virtual care in?

Yes. The practice permit you receive with CRNS and/or CANNN will be limited to the provision of virtual care. Your Alberta practice permit, and your ability to provide services in Alberta, will not be affected.