No.

Yes. Once you receive your confirmation email, you are now able to check if your application have been selected for reimbursement, or, if your application is still being considered by visiting http://rnao.ca/neistatus The applicant MUST enter the application number and verification code that is sent to them in their confirmation email. If your application is selected for reimbursement, it will be reflected on this site immediately. The NEI staff are unable to offer more detail than what is offered on the status website

What is an appropriate receipt?

A receipt of payment should come from your educational provider and be specific to the education in question (state the course/conference name or course code or semester), indicate the base tuition/registration fee and show that the tuition/registration fee has been paid in full.

Copies of T2202A, personal cheques or credit card/bank statements are insufficient without accompanying payment documentation from your educational provider verifying the fee amount being requested.

When do I submit my request for reimbursement?

Please submit your completed application form within 90 days (3 months) after the education end date.  The education end date is the last day of class/course, or day of exam - not when marks/grades are accessed.

For example, if you write an exam on April 4th, then your deadline to submit an application package would be July 4th. 

When do I submit copies of my receipt and grades?

We ask that copies of your receipt of payment and proof of successful completion are included with your application submission (see deadline info above). Submitting a complete application (NEI form, receipt and grade) all at once will reduce processing time. If you do not have access to your receipt and/or grades within 90 days (3 months) after your education end date due to delays from your educational provider, please contact us as before the 90 day deadline for further information. Please be sure to submit your application form by the deadlines indicated on pages 1 and 2 of the form.

We do not accept late applications.

Can I send in my application by fax?

No. We no longer accept applications by fax.

Can I send my application in by mail.

Yes. We also recommend sending your application to us by registered mail or courier so that you can retain a receipt as proof of the exact date you forwarded us your application and that it was sent within the 90 day deadline successfully.  We are unable to confirm receipt of your mail.

What type of education is approved?

If you are an RN who is taking education that will enhance the quality of care and services provided by the nurses of Ontario, and the education is provincially recognized, the education will be considered for reimbursement. All applications are reviewed for eligibility and scored according to criteria based on funding priorities. There is no guarantee that your application for reimbursement will be approved.

Are exam and/or certification fees considered for reimbursement?

Yes. We do consider most certification and exam fees for reimbursement. Please note that some recertification fees may not be eligible for reimbursement.

What criteria do you use to determine whether an application is accepted or declined?

All applications are assessed in accordance with the priority criteria established by the MOHLTC (see page 2 of the application form), and are evaluated on a numeric rating system to objectively tabulate eligible claims. As well, a selection committee comprised of various nursing representatives reviews certain claims to ensure fairness in the application process.

How does the application procedure work?

When you send in a complete submission (the application form, receipt of payment and proof of completion of education in question) within 90 days (3 months) of the education end date, we will review the application and process it in to our system.  

You will recieve an email confirmation/receipt within 6-8 weeks of when you send the complete application package.

Funding cannot be distributed to you until you have submitted a complete application form including copies of the receipt of payment and proof of successful completion for the education in question.

I don't have an application – how do I get one?

Application forms are available on the RNAO website and will also be mailed out to all nurses who request.

I am a Masters or PhD student. Does it work differently for me?

If you are a Masters or PhD student doing course work, the application process works the same way for you. If you are applying for reimbursement consideration for your thesis work, we ask that you contact us as soon as possible to find out more about the application procedure for this specific work.

I have not received or I have lost my cheque, can I obtain a replacement?

We encourage you to cash your cheque promptly. Lost cheques can only be replaced up to six months from the date of issue of the original cheque. We are sorry to be unable to replace cheques beyond that period.

The potential maximum amount of NEI funding available per nurse, per funding year is $1500. How do I know which NEI funding year has been accessed when I receive reimbursement?

The year in which the course/conference/workshop ends determines the NEI funding year that is accessed. For example, if your course ends in December 2011, but you applied for funding in January 2012, the 2011 NEI funding year would still be accessed as the course end date fell in 2011.

The NEI funding year is determined on the education end date regardless of the year in which you submitted your request or when a cheque was issued.

I received a T4A slip and am unsure as to why the amount shown is so high (over $1500).

A: Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) considers NEI reimbursement funding over $500 taxable as ‘other income’ in the year it was received. They calculate the total amount of funding received in a calendar year. They consider only when the funding was received, not when the education took place.

For example, if a course takes place from September 2011 to December 2011 and a reimbursement cheque is issued in January 2012, CRA will assess the amount received in the 2012 tax year as the cheque was issued in 2012. As such, the amount listed on a T4A slip may total over $1500 because cheques from 2 separate NEI funding years may have been issued in the same calendar/tax year.

If you have any other questions, please call  1-866-464-4405 or e-mail us.