[BabyChainus]

Dear Suzanne


Hello! Thank for the time and effort in corresponding back to me. I have passed my NCLEX and ILTS (Englsih proficiency exam) at the end of 2003. Being a nurse petitoned by a travel agency, I would like to find out more information regarding the benefits and pay that should be entitled to me. The are of relocation would be in Oakland, California.:hatparty:

Once again, thanks..

All the best!!

[suzanne4]

Have you already completed the Visa Screen process and have received your certificate?
Is your travel contract providing 100% of your housing expenses?
What expenses are they providing for you and what are you paying?
How long is your contract?

[Vsummer1]

Starting pay at the hospital near me in California is $23 per hour. Union.

[suzanne4]

Val,
Where in California are you? That is much lower than the going rates in many areas.

[BabyChainus]

Dear Suzanne

Hello again as ever....

My contract is for 18 months provided I work 40 hours/week. They have already arranged for an employer for me ,as you know before,and basically I haven't accepted their offer yet. My visa screen is being arranged by my travel agency but I have received the NVC notification that my application was already received.

As for the accomodation, they will looking for the place where I could stay, depending on my specifications, but I am going to pay for it.

The usual dental(diagnostic and preventive only), medical and professional liability will be covered.

I will be working in Oakland, California but my pay will be $28/hour. My job experience will be 6 years once I start work with them.

Thanks for the inputs.

[suzanne4]

Oakland, Ca at $28 per hour agency? I definitely wouldn't do it..............
How long ago did you submit your paperwork for Visa Screen? Right now it is taking 6 to 8 months for that PLUS California is taking the longest for processing as far as Immigration goes. You arelooking at another year or so before you are there...........I would definitely be surprised if before. And I would definitely stay away from that hospital you were talking about before.
Agency rates in that area are $35 to $40 per hour, especially since you are having to pay for your own housing.....................

What I am finding quite odd right now, is that most of you that are having problems with recruiters are in England. Many of you, but not all, have put 100% of your life over the next few years in the hands of recruiter, without following up on anything on your own. Almost every hospital has a wbsite, find out what rates of pay they have for their own staff, then add on an appropriate amount, usually about $8 more per hour on average. I just find it quite odd that it seems to be happening more in the UK than any where else.
I do hear from nurses from all over the world, but recruiter problems #1 is the UK.

[BabyChainus]

Hello once again..

I don't have anything against my travel agency as their service since I was with them was impecable. However, my motive for this inquiry was based on my desire to strengthen my collective bargaining skills. I want to ensure that I am receiving what is due to me.

I have already done researches and rang the facility as well to see what they really offer. On the other hand, I am asking for your opinion as well on the matter as I know your adeptness with re: the ins and out of travel and agency work.

My query has only been recently initiated because my agency did not tell me where is my potential facility assignment. I just learned all about it when they were arranging the interview. Of course, I have browsed through their website, but sometimes things are not what it seem. I value nurses' opinion who have more experience than I have and those who worked with them. I haven't accepted anything yet since I am trying to dig in as much information as possible.

And I thank you for the information and effort.

Happy easter!!!:hatparty:

[Vsummer1]

Originally Posted by suzanne4

Val,
Where in California are you? That is much lower than the going rates in many areas.

I am well aware of that, but this isn't one of those many areas. Where I am that is the pay for new hires. Houses aren't so expensive here (but are getting there) and since I already own and couldn't afford a house in one of those other areas there is no point. I could drive 55 miles and make a lot more, but do I want the commute? No. So I will take what they offer. I just don't think that working 12.5 hours then driving another hour or so is worth the extra money.

As for Oakland, I don't know what the rate is. I expect that housing there is astronomical. All the money would go to housing, so what would be the point?

[suzanne4]

Originally Posted by BabyChainus

Hello once again..

I don't have anything against my travel agency as their service since I was with them was impecable. However, my motive for this inquiry was based on my desire to strengthen my collective bargaining skills. I want to ensure that I am receiving what is due to me.

I have already done researches and rang the facility as well to see what they really offer. On the other hand, I am asking for your opinion as well on the matter as I know your adeptness with re: the ins and out of travel and agency work.

My query has only been recently initiated because my agency did not tell me where is my potential facility assignment. I just learned all about it when they were arranging the interview. Of course, I have browsed through their website, but sometimes things are not what it seem. I value nurses' opinion who have more experience than I have and those who worked with them. I haven't accepted anything yet since I am trying to dig in as much information as possible.

And I thank you for the information and effort.

Happy easter!!!:hatparty:

Yes, recruiting is a service industry. And I am glad that they give you good service, but before any of you put everything into one agency, find out which hospitals that they staff for. Each one will be different. Do research on your own before you even go to see a recruiter, get an idea of the area, and the hospitals that are located in the area. Find out what the requirements are for the specific state where you are interested in working FROM that Board of Nursing. They all have websites. For some reason, many of you in the UK are being told that you do not need the CGFNS exam because you are English speaking. This isn't so. You do need the exam if you want to be able to work in all 50 states. There are only 5 that do not require it. You are exempt from the English exams if you trained in England.
All of you are required to complete the Visa Screen process.

And for any of you wishing to be working in the US in the quickest amount of time, California is definitely not the place to be going to. The wait time for processing there is about 8 months right now, add that on to the Visa Screen time, if you did not do that in the beginning, and then the approximate three months to get your green card after everything is completed.