The NCLEX for Canada, Australia and international nurses

In Canada

Registered nurses in most provinces take the NCLEX-RN, and you can sit it at centers in Canada or the mainland U.S. As of October 2026 the fee is $360 CAD plus local taxes, rising to $570 CAD on February 1, 2027. There’s an official French version of the exam, the test plan and the tutorial, and switching language after you register costs $50 CAD.

In Ontario, you open an application with the College of Nurses first and register with Pearson under exactly the same name. The CNO says you’ll hear your result through its portal within a week, and you can retake as often as you need while your application is open, for up to two years. It also accepts the Quebec Professional Examination, which is a separate exam. Quick Results aren’t available for Canadian candidates.

In Australia

For internationally qualified nurses, the NCLEX-RN is the first stage of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s assessment, and Ahpra makes you eligible. The fee is $200 USD as of October 2026, then $350 USD from February 1, 2027. NCSBN has a separate information flyer for Ahpra candidates.

Testing outside the U.S. and Canada

Pearson runs international NCLEX centers in countries including Australia, India, the Philippines and the United Kingdom. The list can change without notice. Booking one adds a $150 fee that isn’t refunded, and the only ID accepted is a passport book or card. You can move between international centers without losing that fee, but moving to a U.S. center forfeits it.

Nurses educated abroad applying in the U.S.

Your U.S. board decides whether your education qualifies, so start with its application. In California, for example, the board asks for official transcripts by mail plus forms describing your program, diploma and license, and certified English translations where needed.

In 2025, 47.3% of internationally educated first-time candidates passed the NCLEX-RN, and 53.7% passed the NCLEX-PN, against about 87% for U.S.-educated first-timers. Practice with case studies in English, since that’s the language of the exam in the U.S.