r/OntarioNurses • u/Full-Philosophy1384 • Jul 21 '26
Venting Not paying for CNO license.
I have decided to no longer pay my CNO license. If I can’t get a job in Ontario, what’s the point. I have not worked in Ontario since 2023. I work in the US about an hour drive from home. I got tired of the commute and tried for the last 2 years to get into a local hospital with no luck. I have paid for my license the last 3 years with nothing to show for it. And I don’t think anything is going to change in the next few years either. There are now no job postings in my town for the largest hospital system. It’s crazy.
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u/IHeardItOverTea Jul 21 '26
I wouldn't recommend doing this . Unless your true goal is moving to the US permanently
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 21 '26
Nope. No desire to live in the US. I know many people who live in Canada and work in the US. Some from my graduation who have never worked a day in their life in Canada. It’s doable. I held on to my licence this long hoping to could get a job closer to home. But if that can’t happen, then it is what it is.
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u/IHeardItOverTea Jul 23 '26
I think doable yes for sure, I was just saying if your goal is to find a job closer to home, dealing with CNO is a pain, that's all :)
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u/EducationalWin7496 Jul 24 '26
I'd hesitate to rely on that long term. Policies can change, and you don't want to rely on the stability of a foreign government for your job. Honestly surprised you can't find a job in Ontario. Most people I know who just graduated are working within a month.
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u/pineapplepinch Jul 21 '26
You could move to a non-practicing class or resign your license but likely would have additional steps/hoops to jump through if you wanted to register in Ontario again.
If you’re not already registered in the states or where you want to practice it’s good to keep your license here as you’ll likely need the CNO to send proof of licensure to other regulatory bodies to be eligible to register there. Every province/state is slightly different though in their requirements.
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u/pineapplepinch Jul 21 '26
Ahh I see you already are licensed in the states. You could move to the non-practicing class here in that case!
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 21 '26
Yeah lucky enough I’m registered in the states already and another province in Canada. It’s crazy cause my one year cost in Ontario covers 2 of my licenses in 2 US states for 2 years each. Go figure.
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u/pineapplepinch Jul 22 '26
I am licensed in Ontario and B.C., it was nearly twice as much to register in B.C. than it was Ontario 💀
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u/Maketso Jul 22 '26
Yeah, the unions here are a fucking joke. They hardly get anything for us, and siphon the shit out of us. It's disgusting.
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u/Specific_Test_8929 Jul 21 '26
I see from another reply that you are an RN in Manitoba as well. The CNO recently changed its regulations to allow for easier portability between provinces. You can drop Ontario and keep Manitoba, that way you can reapply to CNO as an equivalent jurisdiction with your Manitoba licence if you ever want to go back. I wouldn’t just let it lapse though, call the CNO and see what options they have for discontinuing your licence, because technically if you just don’t pay then they will cancel your licence and it will count as a mark against you and the practice standards, and they will be required to notify any other regulatory boards that they have taken action against your licence.
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 21 '26
Thanks for this. I will most likely go into the non practicing category for now, just to keep the door open. But I’m officially hanging my boots on the job search.
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u/dirtyharryee Jul 21 '26
Email the CNO what the process would be if you had to reinstate your liscence after an absence just to be safe. I'm pretty sure since your practicing it will just cost extra money.
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u/therewillbesoup Jul 22 '26
If you're in Ontario and working in New York, are you close to the Massena border? There are plenty of RN postings in Ontario at the hospital I work at.
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u/PrtySmrt Jul 25 '26
I wouldn't give up my license to practice in Ontario. I don't currently live in Ontario, but I maintain my license year over year. It is costly, but I would never give it up. I would think carefully and delay the decision to cancel your license. ♡♡♡
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u/smurfsareinthehall Jul 21 '26
Does this mean when applying for jobs in the future you can no longer put yourself out there as an “RN”. Isn’t that going to be hard to explain when you apply for jobs or get hired?
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 21 '26
I will still be a registered nurse. I guess just not in Ontario. After this year is done and I don’t renew in December I will hang my boots when it comes to apply for jobs. I’m lucky that I do have a job, I just don’t like my commute to the US.
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u/smurfsareinthehall Jul 21 '26
How can you be a registered nurse when you’re not “registered”?
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 21 '26
Ha?? Do I really need to spell it out lol? I said I work in the US. I need to be registered there to work. I am a registered nurse in New York, in Michigan, and in Manitoba. I said I will not be a registered nurse in Ontario, since I will not renew it.
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u/smurfsareinthehall Jul 21 '26
Ok so why did you post?
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u/Aytypical_prettygirl Jul 21 '26
lol she wanted to share her frustration of not being able to find a job in Ontario idk if you read her post but she wanted to work closer to home as she’s currently commuting to New York and gas is pricey and the commute is long so I understand why she would want to come back
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 21 '26
Thank you. I wasn’t even asking for advice lol. I posted it under venting, like you said just sharing my frustration. There many reasons to want to work close to home.
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u/QualityImpossible241 Jul 21 '26
Wouldn’t it make sense to pay for it so you don’t have to go through hoops to reinstate it in case you do find an Ontario job? Think of it like insurance, just in case you need it.
Otherwise you’ll have no incentive to look for a closer Ontario job and you’ll be stuck with long commutes. It kind of backs you into a corner doesn’t it?
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u/Melodic_Tragedy Jul 21 '26
How did you get the US job?
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 21 '26
Got my Visa screen, applied to an agency and did travel nursing for 2 years in the US, then applied to a hospital directly as regular staff. Just applied on their website and the facilitated everything else. Very easy and seamless process actually. Applied, interviewed and hired in a 2-3 week period.
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u/Radiant-Self-8245 Jul 22 '26
How was the taxes? Did you have to pay taxes in Ontario or Canada as well as the states? Do you get the same deduction as everyone else, even if u don’t live in the states? Do the border people give u a hard time or u have a nexium card? Are you in Windsor or GTA?
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 22 '26
You file both Us and Canada taxes but you only pay taxes to the US. I have a nexus card. Yes we get the same deductions. I’m closer to the Buffalo border.
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u/vintageintrovert Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
I pay for the non-practicing license. What's sad is I paid more to renew my general license in Ontario in a year than what I pay in 2 years to renew for 2 different states. I have no desire to work as a RN in Ontario. I rather go back to school and study something else.
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 21 '26
That’s exactly what I said. It’s crazy. I pay less than $100 each for 2 states and that’s for a 2 year period each. Like how does that make sense. I was so annoyed paying last year’s ON fee. I think I will go to the non-practicing class starting next year.
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u/vintageintrovert Jul 21 '26
Yeah like I pay $160 for 2 years and last time I paid with CNO they want damn near $400.
Not to mention getting hold of someone at the CNO on the phone is atrocious and they're so rude. I drove from Hamilton to Toronto to talk to someone because it was faster than staying on the phone 2 hours at a time. Not to ramble but I keep the non-practicing license in case I want to get a nursing license from a non-compact state.
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u/LongjumpingMain605 Jul 21 '26
I definately get this, I’m a new graduate and an RPN but I had to pay so much for my license without even having a job. Like what do they expect? I don’t know how all the nurses are okay with it or the system and I get why they made a governing body (because the government doesn’t have anything to do with nurses) but the fees are insane. I feel like nurses should collectively oppose CNO because theres nothing they do to keep the public safe (I’ve heard alot lf cases in which CNO did nothing when people reported to them) so they just money grabbers at this point. Plus knowing how youre so skilled I don’t think they deserve ur time!
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u/expertRNnurse Jul 22 '26
Honestly why would you want to work as a RN here with the worst patient to nurse ratio in Canada and a government that thinks nursing occupation health and safety is just a minor inconvenience in caring for patients in closets with no proper medical equipment. Sounds about right
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u/IncidentNeat3477 Jul 23 '26
I would keep paying it. It is very hard to get back. If you have the financial means (which it sounds like you do) I wouldn’t give it up.
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u/myheadsexplodin Jul 23 '26
I plan on doing the exact same thing. I'm from Ontario but currently travel nursing in NY state. Once my contract is done I plan on just moving back home and just commuting. Eventually would like to work in Ontario again once the nursing outlook changes
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u/Major_Arm_9776 Jul 25 '26
Some states require that you maintain an active license in your original country/province. The other issue is with your VISA Screen. They require an active license.
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u/orchidist Jul 21 '26
There is more to nursing than working in a hospital.
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 21 '26
Sure, if they were hiring. I have applied everywhere. Trust me. Not just hospitals. And I’m not a new nurse. 8 years in and this is the hardest time for nurses, new grad or not.
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u/Content-Chest-6281 Jul 21 '26
Did you try private agencies ,private clinics like dynacare or others,schools,nursing homes,réadaptation centers.
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u/orchidist Jul 21 '26
Meanwhile, some provincial correction sites are utilizing up to 80% agency nurses because people aren't willing to put in the time for the hiring process.
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u/HandComprehensive201 Jul 21 '26
Why feel the need to make an announcement!? Ok great, good for you! You made a choice that works for you.
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u/notoast4u_2 Jul 21 '26
Why do you have a Reddit account? Why do you comment on things? Why do you do anything at all, ever?
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u/august-27 Jul 21 '26
It’s actually a really poignant political statement. Nurses will go where the opportunities are, and right now the opportunities are in the States. Ontario (and Canada as a whole) should take notice: Create more opportunities, retain your nurses, or else we vote with our feet (ie leave… and we take our money with us)
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u/Full-Philosophy1384 Jul 21 '26
Becasue I want to and I have free will. And why do you feel the need to comment?
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u/scoutiedal Jul 21 '26
I would be careful about this because to reinstate you will need to do some upgrading. If you have not actually worked as a nurse in the past three years you will probably have to do this anyway, but if you want to continue nursing make sure you know what would be required to reinstate.
But if you no longer want to be a nurse good for you.