Licensure and Employment of Immigrant Nurses Seeking Professional Careers in Canada : Ethical Dimensions and Possible Solutions Linda Ogilvie, RN, PhD Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta Barbara Leung, BSc, MA Alberta Advanced Education, Government of Alberta

Will increased diversity in the professional nursing workforce enhance equity, quality of health care and health outcomes in the Canadian population?

Who benefits and who loses as we move towards an easier licensure process for internationally educated professional nurses?

What are the linguistic and cultural differences that really matter for the protection of the public in a health care setting? How can discriminatory behaviours toward internationally educated nurses be distinguished from legitimate concerns related to patient safety and well-being?

How can the human stress involved in the acquisition of nurse licensure/ registration by internationally educated nurses be mitigated? How can the successful entry of internationally educated nurses who have achieved provincial licensure into meaningful professional nursing positions be facilitated?

What is needed to increase Canadian nurses’ receptivity to their internationally educated colleagues?

Who should pay the significant costs associated with internationally educated nurses gaining licensure/ registration? Should temporary foreign workers be treated differently than immigrants?

Responding to these questions may be useful in: Developing a research agenda Fostering professional integration of internationally educated nurses Enhancing responsiveness to diversity within the Canadian health system