← Back to Your RPN Essentials

After Passing the REx-PN: CNO Registration & Finding Work

By Gabrielle Campagnoli, RPN · Updated October 2026 · 5 min read

You did it — you passed the REx-PN. Take a moment to feel proud, because that exam is no joke. But passing is one milestone, not the finish line. Here's what comes next: registering with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) and landing your first RPN job. I walked this exact path in 2024, and this is the roadmap I wish I'd had.

Step 1: Complete Your CNO Registration

Passing the REx-PN is one requirement for registration — the CNO has several others. In general, the process includes:

1. Application: Submit your application for registration with the CNO, including your nursing education credentials.
2. Jurisprudence exam: Pass the CNO's jurisprudence examination, which tests your knowledge of the laws, standards, and ethics governing nursing in Ontario. It's open-book and completed online — but don't underestimate it.
3. Supporting requirements: Depending on your situation, this can include proof of language proficiency, a criminal record check, and declarations about your health and conduct.
4. Fees: Budget for application and registration fees — check cno.org for current amounts.

Start early and keep copies of everything you submit. Processing takes time, and incomplete applications are the most common cause of delays.

Step 2: Consider the Temporary Class

Here's something many new graduates don't know: the CNO offers a Temporary Class registration that may let you work as a nurse while you complete your remaining registration requirements. I worked under a Temporary Class licence for about a year after graduating — it meant I could start earning and gaining experience instead of waiting on the sidelines.

Eligibility rules and conditions apply (including supervision and practice requirements), so check the current details on cno.org. But if you qualify, it's a genuine head start on your career.

Step 3: Find Your First RPN Job

Ontario needs RPNs — genuinely. Here's where new graduates get hired, roughly ordered by how quickly people tend to land roles:

Long-Term Care (LTC)

LTC homes are the fastest and most common first job for new RPNs. They hire in volume, value reliability, and the work builds rock-solid assessment and time-management skills. This is where I started, and I don't regret it for a second — you learn to think fast and care deeply.

Hospitals

Hospitals hire new RPNs too, particularly in medicine, surgery, and rehab units. Competition can be stiffer and postings may prefer some experience, but new-grad-friendly positions exist — especially outside the biggest cities.

Community and Home Care

Home-care agencies need RPNs across Ontario. The autonomy is excellent for building confidence, though new graduates should make sure good mentorship and backup support are in place.

Job-Hunting Tips That Actually Work

• Apply before you feel "ready." Employers hiring new grads expect to train you. Waiting until you feel fully prepared means waiting forever.
• Tailor your resume to the setting. LTC postings care about different experience than hospital postings. Mirror their language.
• Use your clinical placements. The units where you did your consolidation are your warmest leads — managers hire students they already know.
• Prepare for scenario questions. "Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult patient" and prioritization scenarios come up constantly. Have two or three real stories ready.
• Consider smaller cities. Competition in Toronto is fierce; communities across Ontario are actively recruiting.
• Keep your documents ready: resume, CNO number once issued, CPR certificate, immunization record, and references.

Your First Year: What to Expect

Your first year as an RPN will stretch you — that's normal and it's the point. You'll go home some days feeling like you know nothing. Then one day you'll handle a situation smoothly that would have terrified you six months earlier, and you'll realize how far you've come. Find a mentor, ask questions without shame, and give yourself the same grace you give your patients.

Frequently Asked Questions