The "COST" of nursing

I would agree that Registering bodies for nurses is important to protect the public, keeping nurses professional and accountable. But sometimes the cost of a nurses' licensure can drive them from accepting an employment offer.
Today it seems most Associations charge $250.00 and up (USA & Canada) per year, and if you want to work in more than one state/province, or accept a job in another jurisdiction, the cost can be enormous. In my case recently, trying to re-register in a province I have worked in before I needed to provide proof of registration over the last 5 years "in every jurisdiction I have held an RN registration". Plus I needed to provide proof of my "initial" registration after passing the Canadian exams. I understand the need for ensuring a nurse is legite but they already have received some of this information in the past. Everyone charges me a fee for "providing" information to another registering body, anywhere from $28.00 CAD to $60.00 USD. When you are looking for work because you're struggling each month to meet the rent just where are you supposed to find these extra dollars?
There is no real benefit to the nurse member, such as provision of liablilty insurance or free CEUs. Would it not make more sense to have national databases? Faster information for registering bodies, faster fulfillment for employers who are standing by with a job for you ( and a real need for your nursing services) , and certainly more affordable for the individual nurse to accept a job.
I wonder how many nurses have not been able to accept employment offerred because the could not afford to?
Like I said to my husband,
"I'm not sure I can afford to accept this job".