UK or Canada for Nurses in 2026? Pay, Registration and PR Compared

Imagine you are a staff nurse in Kochi with 4 years on a medical ward. Your hospital in the UK has offered you a Band 5 post, and the recruiter says you can fly in 3 months. Meanwhile, a friend who moved to Nova Scotia keeps sending photos of her new car and telling you Canadian pay is "double". Or imagine you are already a Band 6 nurse in Birmingham, tired of the rota, wondering if your NMC registration could take you to Canada.

Both countries want nurses. Both are English-speaking. But they reward you differently, on different timelines.

The short answer: The UK is faster and cheaper to start: the Health and Care Worker visa costs £324 for up to 3 years, there is no health surcharge, and NHS trusts recruit overseas nurses directly. Canada usually pays more (a national median of C$43.27 an hour for registered nurses, against an NHS Band 5 starting salary of £32,073 a year), and it can give you permanent residence directly through Express Entry, without first spending 5 years on a work visa. The price is a slower start: credential assessment, provincial registration and the Express Entry pool all take time. Many nurses do the UK first, then decide. Figures are as of November 2026.

The comparison at a glance

All figures are official, as of November 2026.

Sources: NHS Employers, Job Bank, NMC, NNAS, GOV.UK, IRCC.

Pay: what the numbers really say

UK (NHS Agenda for Change, England, from 1 April 2026): Band 5 starts at £32,073, rises to £34,592 after 2 years, and tops out at £39,043. Band 6 runs from £39,959 to £48,117, and Band 7 from £49,387 to £56,515. In inner London, the high cost area supplement lifts Band 5 entry pay to £38,488 (NHS Employers).

Canada (Job Bank, all provinces): registered nurses earn a national median of C$43.27 an hour, and usually between C$30.00 and C$54.37 (Job Bank, 2026). Pay is set by provincial union agreements, so it differs between provinces.

Per month, before tax:

• UK Band 5 entry: £32,073 ÷ 12 = about £2,673.
• Canada at the median, assuming 37.5 hours a week: C$43.27 × 37.5 × 52 ÷ 12 = about C$7,031.

These are different currencies, and rent, tax and the cost of food differ too, so do not compare the numbers directly. Put both cities into our cost of living tool to see what is left after rent.

Registration: the real gatekeeper

UK: the NMC route

Overseas-trained nurses apply to the NMC, pass the Test of Competence and then join the register. The NMC lists these costs: £167 qualification evaluation, £83 for the computer-based test (CBT), £794 for the OSCE practical exam, and £182 for registration (NMC, October 2026). That is about £1,226 if you pass first time. The annual fee rose to £143 on 1 October 2026 (NMC). You also need an English test, usually IELTS or OET. See OET vs IELTS for healthcare registration.

Canada: NNAS, then the province

Most internationally educated nurses start with the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS). Its Expedited Service costs C$750, and the advisory report goes to the provincial regulator you choose (NNAS). The province then decides what else you need, which can include an exam and bridging education.

Already registered in the UK? Your NMC registration does not transfer automatically. But some provinces have faster routes. Nova Scotia's regulator opened an expedited process in May 2023 for nurses registered in seven designated countries, including the UK, the US, the Philippines, India and Nigeria (NSNMR). Check with the regulator in the exact province you want, because these routes change.

Our guide to the right order for registration and visas explains which to start first, and what to do after failing the NCLEX, CBT or OSCE covers resits.

Visas and the road to permanent residence

UK: fast entry, slower settlement

The Health and Care Worker visa costs £324 for up to 3 years or £628 for longer (GOV.UK). You and your dependants do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (GOV.UK). Registered nurses can bring a partner and children. Care workers recruited from abroad cannot, and overseas recruitment of care workers ended on 22 July 2025 (GOV.UK; House of Commons Library).

Settlement (indefinite leave to remain) still usually comes after 5 years. The government has proposed a 10-year baseline for many migrants, but the proposal keeps 5 years for people in public sector healthcare roles. As of November 2026, the final rules have not been published, so this is a proposal, not law (House of Commons Library). If you work for the NHS, you are in one of the better-protected groups. The settlement fee is £3,226 per person (GOV.UK).

Canada: slower entry, permanent from day one

Canada works the other way round. Through Express Entry, you can become a permanent resident before you arrive, together with your spouse and children. The general facts, as published by IRCC:

• Healthcare draws: registered nurses (NOC 31301) are in the healthcare and social services category. You need 12 months of full-time experience in the last 3 years, and it can be from outside Canada (IRCC).
• High-wage points from 3 November 2026: registered nurses are on IRCC's high-wage occupation list. A qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation gives 50 to 100 points, and Canadian experience in one adds extra points, depending on the wage level (IRCC).
• Fees: C$1,590 for you and for your spouse, C$270 per child (IRCC fee list).
• Settlement funds: C$15,263 for one person if you apply without a valid job offer (IRCC).

This is general information about how the system works. Whether your own profile scores high enough is something to check with the free CRS calculator. If you want a person to look at a Canadian application, Canadian law requires paid immigration advice to come from a licensed consultant (RCIC) or a lawyer. You can check any consultant on the CICC public register.

How pay is set

• UK: NHS nurses in England are paid on national Agenda for Change bands, so the same band pays the same base salary in Leeds as in Cornwall, plus a supplement in and around London (NHS Employers).
• Canada: pay is set province by province, mostly through union agreements, so it changes when you cross a provincial border. Job Bank shows wages by region for the same occupation (Job Bank).

Which matters more to you right now: getting started this year, or getting the higher pay and permanent status, even if it takes longer?

Which one fits you?

• You want to start working abroad within months: the UK. NHS trusts sponsor overseas nurses, and the visa is cheap.
• You want your family to be permanent residents from the start: Canada, if your profile scores well.
• You are already a UK RN: look at Canada's provincial expedited routes, and keep counting your UK years towards settlement while you decide.
• You are a care worker, not a registered nurse: the UK route from abroad is closed. Read UK care worker visa changes and alternatives.

Also comparing Australia? See nurse registration in the UK vs Australia, or our wider guide to the best countries for nurses.

Frequently asked questions

Is the UK or Canada better for nurses?

The UK is faster and cheaper to start, with a £324 visa and NHS sponsorship. Canada usually pays more and can give permanent residence directly through Express Entry. Choose the UK for speed, and Canada if you can wait for higher pay and permanent status.

What is the nurse salary per month in the UK vs Canada?

An NHS Band 5 nurse in England starts on £32,073 a year, about £2,673 a month before tax. A Canadian registered nurse at the national median of C$43.27 an hour earns about C$7,031 a month before tax, assuming 37.5 hours a week.

Is a UK nursing degree recognised in Canada?

Not automatically. Most internationally educated nurses, including UK-trained nurses, go through NNAS and then the provincial regulator. Some provinces, such as Nova Scotia, have expedited routes for nurses registered in the UK.

Can a UK registered nurse work in Canada?

Yes, after registering with a Canadian provincial regulator and getting immigration status, either a work permit or permanent residence. Registration and immigration are separate steps.

Will UK nurses have to wait 10 years for settlement?

Under the government's proposal, people in public sector healthcare roles would keep a 5-year route. As of November 2026, the final rules have not been published.

Your next step

Start with the parts you can check for free today. Run the CRS calculator to see where a Canadian profile would stand, compare rent and living costs in your two target cities with the cost of living tool, and check total fees with the visa cost calculator. Then take the free migration assessment to see which route fits your experience and family. It takes about 2 minutes.

This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Pay scales, fees and rules change often. Always confirm with the official source, the nursing regulator and a licensed lawyer or registered adviser before you act.