Holding Nursing Registration in Two Countries: Is It Worth Keeping Both?

Many nurses who move abroad wonder whether to keep their home registration. Keeping both can give you options, but it comes with costs and responsibilities.

Imagine you have worked in Canada for three years and your parents become unwell at home. If your home registration lapsed, returning to work there could take months.

Benefits of keeping both

• Freedom to return home and work quickly
• Option to work short contracts or volunteer at home
• Easier verification for future moves
• Professional connection to your home country

Costs and responsibilities

• Annual or periodic fees in both countries
• Meeting CPD or practice-hour requirements in both
• Reporting changes, such as disciplinary action, to both regulators
• Keeping contact details up to date

Things to check

• Whether practice abroad counts towards home renewal requirements
• Whether your home council allows renewal from overseas
• Whether any action by one regulator must be reported to the other

If you let one lapse

Find out what is needed to restore it later, and keep evidence of your practice and CPD so you can show recent experience.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to tell both regulators about a complaint?

Many regulators require you to declare action taken elsewhere. Check each council’s rules.

Is dual registration common?

Yes. Many internationally educated nurses keep both, at least for a few years.

But the fees add up

They can. Weigh the cost against how likely you are to return.

Sources: Nursing and Midwifery Council (UK), Ahpra, National Council of State Boards of Nursing, International Council of Nurses.