The New CNO English Proficiency Forms Explained

CNO English Proficiency Forms – The College of Nurses of Ontario has been a popular regulatory body of choice among IENs because they can waive the English proficiency requirement upon registration without the need to take IELTS or CELBAN. They are the only regulatory body in Canada that accepts other types of evidence aside from IELTS and CELBAN to prove English proficiency.

Disclaimer: CNO’s rules change frequently. Do your own due diligence by always checking CNO’s website.

Other types of evidence include:

• Additional nursing education (minimum of 200 hours of clinical instruction within the last two years)
• Additional non-nursing education (minimum of 200 hours of clinical, practicum or internship placement within the last two years)
• Nursing experience (volunteer/paid work within the last two years)
• Non-nursing experience (volunteer/paid work within the last two years)

Recently, CNO released new forms to meet language proficiency through non-exam types of evidences. There are four forms you should accomplish:

CNO English Proficiency Forms

1. Applicant Form

The applicant form for evidence of language proficiency represents your formal request to waive the English proficiency requirement in your registration. The second part of this form requires you to write why and how you think you meet the English proficiency requirement. You must include examples in four essential areas of English communication – speaking, writing, reading and listening. This form replaces the need to write an initial formal request letter to waive English test requirement.

2. Education Form

If you recently had any additional educational studies done in Canada or in any other English schools outside Canada in the past two years, you can use it as a supporting evidence of language proficiency. You must have at least 200 hours of clinical, practicum or internship placement to do this. You must complete section 1 of the education form for evidence of language proficiency then ask your school to complete section 2 and 3. The school must attach copies of the academic transcript, course description and reference letters from teacher/s together with the form. Once accomplished, the documents should be mailed directly to CNO by the school using the school’s letterhead envelope to prove authenticity.

3. Experience Form

Any kind of Canadian work or volunteer experience in the past two years can be used as evidence of language proficiency. The form is similar with the education form above. You must complete section 1 of the experience form for evidence of language proficiency then ask your employer to complete section 2 and 3. The employer must attach copies of the job description and reference letters from supervisors/superiors. Once accomplished, the documents should be mailed directly to CNO by the employer, using the employer’s company letterhead envelope to prove authenticity.

4. Summary of Evidence Form

In the summary of evidence form , you should enlist all the sources of evidence you planned or requested to be sent to CNO. The college needs this form so they know the documents they should expect to receive before doing a full evaluation of your file. It’s also a useful way for them to make sure that they didn’t miss any document before starting to review your case.

Remember that the new CNO English Proficiency Forms are just add-on documents in the process of waiving English proficiency test requirement. The forms are added in the process to make it organized and uniform for all applicants. Your previous employers and teachers should still send well-written reference letters along with the forms designated for them.

Also Read:

• English Proficiency Letter Sample – Waive CNO English Test
• CNO English Proficiency Letter Samples
• How to Waive CNO English Proficiency Requirement