29 Jun 2026
The Government of Nova Scotia is moving all regulated health professions to a new legislative framework under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA). When midwifery is migrated on by June 30, 2026, the current Midwifery Act will be repealed and midwifery will instead be governed by the RHPA, the Regulated Health Professions General Regulations, profession-specific regulations, and Bylaws.
The following are some key features of this transition:
The current Midwifery Regulatory Council of Nova Scotia (MRCNS) was established under the Midwifery Act. After the transition, MRCNS will be replaced by the Nova Scotia Nursing & Midwifery Regulator (NSNMR). The NSNMR will regulate both the midwifery and nursing professions in Nova Scotia.
Although the regulatory structure is changing, midwifery will remain a distinct profession. While both nursing and midwifery will be regulated by a single multi-profession regulator (the NSNMR), this is a change to the regulatory body, not a “merger” of the professions themselves.
The RHPA creates a common framework for all regulated health professions in Nova Scotia. This framework is intended to modernize regulation, improve consistency, strengthen public protection, and provide regulators with common tools for registration, complaints, investigations, professional conduct reviews, and fitness-to-practise processes.
Under the new framework, you can consult the following documents to find rules concerning regulatory requirements:
To align with the RHPA, there will be two categories of midwifery licence:
There will no longer be a separate Active Practising Non-Clinical Licence. Those who currently hold an Active Practising Non-Clinical Licence will be transitioned to a Conditional Licence (with a condition relating to limiting practise to a non-clinical role).
The RHPA regulations require broader publication of registration information, including name, registration number, register, licence category or licence status, and current conditions, restrictions, and licensing sanctions that are not subject to a publication ban.
The current Midwifery Act sets out a specific, prescriptive definition of the practice of midwifery. Under the RHPA regulations, the midwifery scope of practice will be modernized and broadened. In the coming months, the NSNMR will develop standards and practice guidelines to ensure that appropriate parameters exist to support midwives working to their full scope. While that guidance is developed and implemented, registrants remain accountable for ensuring that their practice is consistent with their individual competence, based on their training, knowledge, and workplace policies.
Under the RHPA, registrants have express statutory duties, including duties to comply with the Act, regulations, Bylaws, code of ethics and standards of practice; cooperate with regulatory processes; maintain current contact information; maintain records of practice hours; maintain required liability protection; practise only within individual scope and licence terms; and report unsafe or unethical practice in certain circumstances (a “duty to report”). Expanded registrant duties are set out in section 60 of the RHPA.
The RHPA includes standardized professional conduct processes. The Registrar will now have the opportunity to refer certain complaints to a Complaints Committee, and there will be a formal fitness-to-practise process for midwives who may be experiencing an incapacity (i.e., a health concern, including substance abuse).
We will continue to communicate important updates as this transition proceeds. To stay up to date, after June 30th please visit (nsnmr.ca). We appreciate your patience and understanding during this period of change and evolution.
While Jenny Wright will no longer be the Registrar, her new role as the Director of Integration is responsible for overseeing the integration of midwifery within the new regulator.
Jen Neil is also transitioning to the new regulator in an administrative role that will also support midwifery integration.
In the interim Jenny and Jen will continue to be your point of contact for questions regarding practice, registrations, complaints or any regulatory issues you may need support with and navigating the new regulator.
Email Midwifery@nsnmr.ca or call 1-833-267-6727
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Effective June 30, 2026, the Nova Scotia Nursing and Midwifery Regulator (NSNMR) was formed as a multi-profession regulator, replacing the former Midwifery Regulatory Council of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia College of Nursing. We appreciate your patience during this period of transition.
This website will remain available during the transition and will be retired once migration to the NSNMR website is complete.
Midwives must be licensed by the Midwifery Regulatory Council of Nova Scotia. The Registrar of the Council issues licences in the following classes:
Subclasses within the active-practicing licence class:
In accordance with the Regulations Respecting Midwifery and the policies of the Midwifery Regulatory Council of Nova Scotia, midwives must hold an active-practicing (clinical) licence to engage in the clinical practice of midwifery. Midwives who are not engaged in clinical practice but work in the fields of research, education, consultation, management, administration, regulation, policy or system development relating to the practice of midwifery, as defined in the Midwifery Act, may hold an active-practising (non-clinical) licence.
Criteria for entry in the active practicing roster (clinical and non-clinical) are:
Personal contact information is used by the Council for direct contact with members, and is not released to the general public. The Council does maintain a public roster that includes all practice and professional information on each member.
It is important that you keep the Council informed of any changes to your contact information so that we may contact you regarding your application and registration.
In order to be eligible for registration you must be either a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or authorized under the Immigration Act (Canada) to engage in open employment in Canada. You must submit proof of your citizenship, residency or employment authorization along with your application.
In this section, you must list all current and previous professional registration including international registrations, registrations in other Canadian provinces or territories, and registrations in other regulated health professions. Midwives who are or have been registered in other Canadian provinces or territories will need to arrange for letters of professional conduct to be delivered to the Registrar directly from the regulatory body. You will need to sign a consent form to release this information, and complete the request form as required by your regulatory body. For those registered in other jurisdictions or professions copies of your registration certificates or other proof of registration must be attached to your application.
Registered midwives in Nova Scotia must hold a baccalaureate degree from a Canadian university midwifery education program; or have educational qualifications equivalent to this degree.
Please list all of your midwifery education as indicated, and include notarized copies of all degrees, diplomas and certificates earned in these programs. If you are applying for registration as a midwife for the first time since graduating, please attach one original Record of Clinical Experience and arrange for your university to send an official transcript directly to the Registrar.
Registered midwives in Nova Scotia must also complete the Canadian Midwifery Registration Examination (CMRE). Please arrange for the exam results to be sent to the MRCNS.
According to the Regulations, criteria for an active-practicing (clinical) licence are: At least the following practice hours or experience:
The clinical practice of midwifery is defined in the Regulations as the provision of antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum and newborn care as a primary care provider. In accordance with the definition of midwifery practice in the Act, midwives may practise either within or outside of a hospital setting.
In accordance with the requirements of the Act, the Regulations and the policies of the Council, midwives who do not fully meet clinical experience requirements may be issued a provisional licence.
Please answer all questions pertaining to your midwifery experience. Please complete and attach Schedule 2 to assist the Registrar in determining and verifying your clinical experience. You will also need to provide three references. At least one of your referees should be able to verify your clinical practice experience.
If you have successfully completed a competency assessment and /or bridging program approved by the Council, you may be eligible for registration. Based on the results of the assessment, the Registrar may issue an active-practicing (clinical) licence or a provisional licence.
Please make arrangements to have your final report sent from the assessment program directly to the Registrar, if this has not already been done on your behalf.
The Council requires that all registrants in the active-practicing (clinical) class be certified in:
Certified instructors of these courses will meet these requirements, provided they have taught at least one course within the time frame required for currency.
Midwives are also required to successfully complete Opioids and Benzodiazapines: Safe Prescribing for Midwives offered through UBC Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine.
Please attach proof of current certification or instructor status in these continuing competencies.
Questions in this section refer to all previous experience, including experience in another profession or experience that occurred outside of Nova Scotia, or outside of Canada. All questions must be answered “yes” or “no”. For every “yes” answer, you must provide a detailed explanation on an additional sheet of paper attached to the application.
You must ensure that this section is signed and witnessed properly. The witness must be over 18 years of age. The witness is attesting to the fact that they witnessed you signing the form, therefore they must sign at the same time that you do.
A current criminal record check must be requested for your current name, as well as for all previous names by which you have been known. Criminal records checks must be dated within 6 months of their submission to the Registrar.
An original certificate with the regulator’s seal or a notarized copy may be submitted, otherwise, you may obtain one in person or on-line.
Criminal Record Checks for residents of Halifax, Bedford and Dartmouth:
You may apply in person, from Monday to Friday, at:
You must present two pieces of identification with your current address. The address must be within Halifax, Dartmouth or Bedford. Accepted identification: Nova Scotia Driver’s License or Nova Scotia ID Card and one other of: health card, birth certificate, passport, or social insurance number. The Criminal Record check costs $30 and takes approximately 10 days to process.
Important: You must submit the Criminal Record Check to Registrar in its original sealed envelope.
Criminal Record Check on-line:
A Criminal Record Check can be requested online at https://www.mybackcheck.com These online requests take only a few minutes and results are delivered to applicants electronically in less than 24 hours. The fee is $30. These certificates include a serial number. Applicants may e-mail the PDF version of the certificate to the Registrar or notify the Registrar of the serial number on the certificate.
Local Police Departments or RCMP detachments:
Criminal records checks can also be obtained through local police departments or RCMP detachments for the same fee. The results of these checks usually arrive within two weeks. Checks obtained from local police/RCMP must be provided to the Registrar in the original sealed envelope.
You must submit a minimum of three letters of reference from professionals or organizations with whom you have worked as a midwife. At least one of these referees should be able to verify your clinical experience as set out in your application. These three references must be provided by two of the following types of referees:
The enclosed forms should be completed and returned by the referee to the Registrar as follows:
Before submitting your application to the Midwifery Regulatory Council, please ensure that all items on this checklist are complete.
