International nurse recruitment initiative brings diverse backgrounds and training to Covenant Health sites

When Keren Balagot first arrived at St. Mary’s Hospital, a Covenant Health facility in Camrose, she wasn’t sure what to expect after working in Qatar as a registered nurse for eight years. She was pleasantly surprised by how supportively the hospital and community welcomed her, her husband and their two sons.

“Here I find it really open, and the people are friendly,” Keren says. “My heart is full of gratitude. I’m so grateful for this opportunity for my family.”

Keren came to St. Mary’s Hospital as part of Covenant Health’s international nurse recruitment initiative. The initiative began at the end of 2022, in partnership with Alberta Health Services, to build nursing capacity at both rural and urban Covenant Health sites based on site-specific needs and skillsets. It is one of many programs across Canada that are streamlining the path for internationally educated nurses to enter the workforce here. Nurses are required to pass licensing and language exams before being eligible to start the immigration process. Covenant Health has made offers to over 40 overseas nurses, and Keren is the first internationally educated nurse to arrive with her family. Four more nurses are scheduled to arrive by February 2026.  

Stacey Brewster, site administrator at St. Mary’s Hospital, is excited to be the first in the organization to welcome an internationally educated nurse.  

“I am absolutely thrilled, especially to be the first one in a rural site and to have Keren come to us,” says Stacey. “I’m excited to expand our workforce with people with diverse backgrounds but especially from out of the country because there is so much talent out there. I truly am grateful for the investment in this initiative. This is not just a way of carrying Covenant Health forward but of carrying St. Mary's forward.”

Covenant Health is also recruiting domestic internationally educated nurses. These are nurses who have been through the immigration process and are already living in Canada. They may have experienced difficulties in practicing here due to licensing delays, unfamiliar systems or limited Canadian experience.

“Recruiting internationally educated nurses who are already here should allow for quicker placements at Covenant Health sites where they are needed most,” says Bonnie Bazlik, the internationally educated nurse professional practice lead at Covenant Health. 

The key benefits of bringing internationally educated nurses to rural and urban settings are their varied clinical experiences, ability to bridge cultural and language gaps with patients and long-term commitment to investing in the communities and organizations that give them a chance to practice their calling, says Bonnie.  

As part of the recruitment initiative, Covenant Health is helping nurses find housing for their families and schools for their children and to settle in their new communities after the sacrifices they have made to move overseas. Krystal Mizera, clinical nurse educator at St. Mary’s Hospital, has been working closely with Keren to help her settle in at the hospital and in Camrose.  

“When I first met Keren, I provided her with a community handbook with resources,” says Krystal. “I thought, ‘Are there ways that we can help with the non-work side too, that we can guide her to resources or anything she might need?’”

Stacey has also been hard at work paving the way for the hospital and community to welcome Keren and other internationally educated nurses who are expected to join St. Mary’s Hospital. When Keren’s arrival date was confirmed, Stacey shared the news with local businesses and the City of Camrose.  

“We’re a close-knit rural team. And not just at the hospital. The (St. Mary’s) community board, the City of Camrose, businesses — the support has been overwhelming. We have an amazing number of businesses and representatives that are part of our (hospital) foundation and ready to support.”

Keren is appreciative of that support, at work and at home. “I feel safe,” she says. “Covenant Health has supported me every step of the way. They were able to impart a lot of information so I could adapt when I got to my site. For me as a nurse, (the placement) will provide a lot of learning and (experience with) new technology. I’m excited to be here to enhance my skills.”  

Krystal says that Keren is already fitting in with her unit and is learning quickly on the job. “She's very insightful about her own learning and her own kind of needs already, which is really nice. The feedback has been good.”

For Keren, the move from overseas isn’t just about the opportunity to grow her skills as a nurse, she says. She had to sacrifice watching her children grow up by moving to Qatar for work. Joining Covenant Health and moving to Camrose will allow her family to grow together.  

“For eight years, I saw my family once a year, a very limited time for us to be together,” Keren says. “This is an amazing opportunity to have my family together. It is a success story. I am elated and excited.”

Keren has advice for anyone who is considering applying to work in Canada as a nurse. “Jump at the opportunity,” she says. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come here, so grab it. Don’t delay. If you can, do it now because you wouldn’t want it to slip away.”