A moving checklist for travel nurses heading to a new province

A good travel nurse moving checklist covers three stretches: the weeks before you leave, the drive or flight, and your first day in the new province. Start with your licence, because it can take the longest and everything else depends on it. Then sort housing, health coverage, mail, banking and packing.

This post walks through each step in order. It includes a simple timeline, what to bring (and leave behind) for a furnished home, what mail forwarding costs, and what to check when you arrive.

Key takeaways

• Start your licence application in the new province first, because nursing registration is handled province by province and every other step depends on it.
• Under Canada's labour mobility rules, a nurse registered in one province can generally apply in another without redoing exams or clinical hours.
• A furnished home covers furniture and basics, so pack for your shifts, your comfort and any gaps you confirm with your host before you leave.
• Canada Post temporary mail forwarding has a three-month minimum, which suits a typical assignment when you plan to return to your home address.
• For provincial income tax, the CRA generally looks at where you are resident on December 31, and on a temporary posting the province with your most significant residential ties usually counts.

When should you start your travel nurse moving checklist?

Start as soon as your assignment is confirmed. Six to eight weeks gives you room for licensing, housing and paperwork without rushing. If your start date is closer than that, do the same steps in the same order and lean on your agency for help with the licence.

Here is a simple timeline you can adapt.

When	What to do
6 to 8 weeks before	Start your licence application with the new province's regulator. Confirm your assignment dates. Begin searching for a home near your hospital.
4 weeks before	Book your home. Check your health coverage and your car insurance. Plan your route or flights.
2 weeks before	Set up mail forwarding. Tell your bank about your move. Update addresses where needed. Start packing.
Travel days	Keep documents, medications and first-shift essentials with you. Confirm arrival and check-in details with your host.
First day	Do a walk-through of the home, test your commute at shift time and stock up on basics.

Keep this travel nurse moving checklist somewhere you can tick items off on your phone. It saves you from relying on memory after a run of night shifts.

How do you get licensed to work in a new province?

Nursing is regulated provincially, so you need to be registered with the regulator in the province where you will work. The good news is that you rarely start from scratch. Under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement's labour mobility rules, a nurse certified in one province can generally apply in another without redoing exams or clinical hours.

Some provinces have made this faster still:

• Ontario: the province's As of Right rules let nurses registered in other Canadian provinces and territories start working in Ontario immediately, as long as they meet specific conditions. The rules cover RNs, RPNs and NPs.
• Ontario's College of Nurses: since July 4, 2023, the College of Nurses of Ontario has used an expedited process for nurses registered elsewhere in Canada, which it says lets it register nurses within days. Applicants can sign a declaration of good standing and request a verification of registration from their current regulator.
• Quebec: expect French-language requirements in addition to labour mobility.

Requirements and timelines differ by province and change over time, so confirm the current process directly with the nursing regulator in the province you are moving to. A short licensing checklist:

• Have your current registration number and expiry date handy.
• Request verification of registration from your current regulator early, since the new province may need it.
• Keep digital copies of your licence, ID and certifications in one folder.
• Ask your agency what else the hospital needs before your first shift.

Once your licence is in order, you can also earn a verified nurse badge on Travel Nurse Houses, where TNH staff check your licence. It gives hosts extra confidence when you message them.

What should you pack for a furnished home?

A furnished home means you can skip the furniture, but what counts as furnished varies from home to home. Before you pack, message your host and ask exactly what is included. That one conversation can save you a suitcase.

Questions worth asking your host:

• Are bedding, towels and pillows provided?
• What is in the kitchen: pots, pans, knives, small appliances?
• Is there Wi-Fi, and how fast is it?
• Is there in-suite laundry, or a shared machine?
• Where do you park, and is there a cost?
• Are the bedroom windows covered well enough for sleeping during the day?

Then pack for the things a home will not supply:

• Work gear: scrubs, shoes, compression socks, badge holder, stethoscope and any unit-specific items.
• Sleep: an eye mask, earplugs or a white noise app, and your own pillow if you sleep badly without it.
• Weather: clothing for the season in the new province, which may be very different from home.
• Documents: licence, ID, health card, insurance details and your housing agreement.
• Health: enough medication to cover the trip and a few weeks, plus copies of prescriptions.
• Small comforts: a favourite mug, a throw blanket or photos. Little things help a new place feel like yours.
• Practical extras: chargers, an extension cord, reusable containers for meal prep and laundry supplies for the first week.

Leave behind anything bulky the home already has. If you discover a gap after you arrive, it is usually easier to buy it locally than to haul it across the country.

How do you handle mail when you move for an assignment?

Most travelers keep a home address and come back to it, so temporary forwarding is often the right fit. Canada Post's temporary forwarding service is built for people who plan to return to their original address, with a three-month minimum.

At the time of writing, Canada Post lists these prices for three months of temporary forwarding:

• Within your province: CA$61.50
• To another province: CA$77.25
• To the U.S. or internationally: CA$114.00

Each extra month of forwarding across provinces costs CA$25.75. If you are making a permanent move across provinces instead, forwarding costs CA$82.75 for four months or CA$126.25 for twelve months. Check Canada Post for current prices before you book.

Forwarding is not the only option. Many travelers cut down on paper mail before they leave:

• Switch bank, phone and utility statements to email.
• Ask a trusted friend or family member to check your home mailbox.
• Tell important senders, such as your regulator, insurer and employer, which address to use.
• Ask your host whether you can receive packages at the home during your stay.

What banking, tax and address changes should you make?

You probably do not need a new bank for a temporary assignment, but a few small steps prevent headaches. Tell your bank you will be living in another province so unusual card activity is less likely to be flagged. Make sure mobile banking, cheque deposit and e-transfers work on your phone before you go.

A short money checklist:

• Confirm your cards work and know your daily limits.
• Keep a small emergency fund you can reach quickly.
• Agree on how you will pay rent with your host, and keep the arrangement in writing.
• Save receipts related to your housing and travel in one place.

Tax is where your home province matters. The CRA says that, generally, you pay provincial tax based on the province you are resident in on December 31. The CRA also recognizes that someone away from their usual home for a long time on a temporary job posting can be resident in more than one province on that date. In that case, the province where you have the most significant residential ties counts.

If your address changes, you can update it with the CRA through My Account, the MyCRA app, or by calling CRA Individual Income Tax Enquiries at 1-800-959-8281. For your own situation, confirm with the CRA or a tax professional, especially if your assignment runs over December 31.

Do you need to change your health card or driver's licence?

It depends on whether the move changes where you live, not just where you work. A short assignment and a permanent move are treated differently, so check before you leave rather than after.

For health coverage, provinces are allowed to set a waiting period before new residents get coverage. If you keep your home and plan to return, your home province's plan may continue to cover you while you work elsewhere for a time. Call your home province's health plan, explain your dates, and ask what applies to you.

For driving, provinces set their own deadlines for exchanging an out-of-province licence once you become a resident. If your assignment turns into a longer stay, check the licensing authority in the new province. Also tell your car insurer you will be driving in another province for several months.

Keep your health card, licence and insurance details with you during the trip, not in a packed box.

What should you do on the drive or flight?

Treat travel days as a shift you need to be rested for. Avoid starting a long drive straight after a night shift, and build in a buffer day before your first shift if you can.

If you are driving:

• Get your vehicle checked, including tires suited to the season.
• Check road and weather conditions along your route each morning.
• Plan rest stops and an overnight stay rather than pushing through.
• Share your route and arrival time with someone at home.

If you are flying, keep a carry-on with everything you would need if your checked bag went missing:

• Licence, ID and assignment documents
• Medications
• One set of scrubs and work shoes
• Chargers and a change of clothes
• Your host's check-in instructions, saved offline

Either way, message your host with your expected arrival time and confirm how you will get in.

What should you check on your first day in the new home?

Your first day sets up the whole assignment, so use it for a calm walk-through rather than unpacking everything at once.

1. Look around the home. Take photos of its condition and note anything that needs attention.
2. Test the basics. Check locks, Wi-Fi, heat or air conditioning, hot water and the smoke alarm.
3. Ask your host. Send any questions while they are fresh, such as garbage day, laundry rules or parking.
4. Do a practice commute. Drive or walk to the hospital at the time your shift will start, and find out where staff park.
5. Stock up. Get groceries, toiletries and anything missing from your packing list.
6. Rest. Set up your bedroom for sleep before your first shift, especially if you are starting on nights.

Being close to work makes these first weeks easier. On Travel Nurse Houses, you can search by the hospital you are assigned to and see each home's distance to nearby hospitals.

Moving provinces for an assignment is a lot to manage, but it gets easier when you take it one step at a time: licence first, then housing, paperwork, packing and your first day. As of October 24, 2026, Travel Nurse Houses covers 900+ hospitals across Canada and lists 1,100+ furnished homes, and you can message hosts directly. When you are ready, search for homes near your hospital.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a new nursing licence for each province I work in?

Yes, nursing is regulated provincially, so you need registration in the province where you work. Under Canada's labour mobility rules, a nurse certified in one province can generally apply in another without redoing exams or clinical hours. Confirm current requirements with the nursing regulator in your new province.

How early should I start a travel nurse moving checklist?

Six to eight weeks before your start date is a comfortable window. Begin with your licence application, then book housing, check health coverage and set up mail forwarding. If you have less time, follow the same order and ask your agency for help.

What can I leave at home when renting a furnished home?

You can usually leave furniture, large kitchen items and often bedding and towels at home. Ask your host exactly what is included before you pack, since furnished homes vary. Bring work gear, sleep aids, documents, medication and clothing for the local season.

How much does it cost to forward mail during a travel nursing assignment?

At the time of writing, Canada Post charges CA$77.25 for three months of temporary forwarding to another province, and CA$25.75 for each extra month. Within your own province, three months costs CA$61.50. Check Canada Post for current prices before you sign up.

Which province do I pay income tax in as a travel nurse?

The CRA says you generally pay provincial tax based on where you are resident on December 31. If you are away from your usual home on a temporary job posting, the province with your most significant residential ties usually counts. Confirm your situation with the CRA or a tax professional.