New rules are expected to make it easier for nurses working elsewhere in Canada who want to come to New Brunswick.

The changes from the Nurses Association of New Brunswick, which went into effect Wednesday, will speed up the registration and licensing process for registered nurses.

Criminal record checks, currency of practice documents and application fees are waved for nurses currently registered in another province or territory.

In addition, the usual jurisprudence requirements will be suspended for those applicants.

“With a strong sense of trust amongst regulators within Canada, we believe these rule changes will assist the health-care system in addressing the current nurse shortage in our province,” Julie Weir, president of the association’s board of director, said in a news release.

Officials said the new registration process is similar to what their Nova Scotia counterparts have developed.

The association is also working to prepare a plan for government that will help expedite the registration and licensing of internationally educated nurses.

It is expected the process will especially target countries where nurses are trained in either French or English with similar nursing education programs and scopes of practice.

“We are pleased with the incredible work being done by the Nurses Association of New Brunswick to make changes to their registration requirements to ensure nurses working in other jurisdictions can work in our province sooner,” Health Minister Bruce Fitch said in a release.