[suzanne4]

Feel that it is time that this topic needs to be discussed once again.

Please take the time to thoroughly check out any contract that may come your way, and I mean to really check them out. As we call it in the US, do your homework on the agency or the employer.

Do not rely on just what you hear in a seminar or what is promised to you by a recruiter, or what you read on a website. Talk to people that are actually working in the capacity that you are wishing for and have gone thru the licensing requirements as well as immigration and are now in that country and working as an RN. Any agency/company can make all of the offers that they want, but they need to live up to what they are promising and the only way to know it is to see people that are actually working already in that country. Just knowing that Susie Smith has a friend that has gone there just should not be telling you anything, everyone always knows someone or think that they do, but you need to see proof of it. And you should be able to speak to people that have gone thru the program or the agency and successfully is now working in the RN capacity in that country. The company should always be able to provide you with a list of people that have gone thru their program and are now doing what they are promising for you. If they cannot provide that, that means that you should be walking away from them. And quickly. A company is only as good as what it can produce and what they have done, not what they are going to be doing.

Marketing is not always what you think that it may lead to, and this is what you need to be careful with.

There are already several threads that have been posted on the International Forum for what to look for in a contract, please just do a search for them.

We see promises made quite often that the agency is not able to meet as it is completely out of their hands, do not let it happen to you. Agencies never issue visas or licenses and have nothing to do with the procedures other than possibly helping you with paperwork. They cannot do things any faster for you.

I understand completely that there are very few jobs in your country that are available for you, but you still need to stay safe and really understand what you are signing before you do, or there can be a large sum of money that can be owed by you before you even get started with anything.

Remember that none of these companies/agencies work for free. And best of luck to you.

[sally22]

What do you suggest we do to understand how to do it by ourselves?

How do we find the employer? How do we arrange affordable accommodation when going to study for such a short time? What are we required to do to apply for a visa and what is there to guide us about the hidden requirements? how do we understand the complexities of the immigration laws, how do we understand the registration requirements such as what period of work experience is required in the different countries and states of those countries, and other important points such as time limits and what to do if something goes wrong? How do we find our way around in a strange country without some guidance and what will this cost us.

We are spending a decent sum of money for our future. Should we really risk all that on our own ability. Remember we are nurses, not administrators or business people.

Frankly I would not have a clue what to do by myself, but I would happily do all this myself if I had a sound knowledge and certainty of the result.

I, and many others would be grateful if you could tell us exactly what to do, so we could do it by ourselves, without risk of having to return to our country, failing to gain a visa, not finding an employer, knowing if we can apply for permanent residency or not and when, and all the other questions that need answering. there are so many and knowing if the answer is correct is impossible in many cases.

I certainly understand your concerns, but we do not really have the choice or luxury or additional funds to save ourselves if we do it wrongly, so this is the reason we use the agencies, not because they complete the paperwork but because they know the answers to the questions and the process and have the work placements and accommodation etc.

I am sure that if it was as easy as you seem to indicate, we would all be doing it by ourselves right now.

[suzanne4]

There have been countless numbers of threads giving specifics as to what needs to be done to get licensed in another country as well as get thru their immigration process.

Even if one signs with an agency to do this work for them, it is extremely important that one is also very aware of what is supposed to be done and not rely just on any one agency. We have seen too many things in the past that were done and done incorrectly and the nurse had to wait for a significant length of time to get things fixed, but if they knew from the beginning, then things would have been easier for them.

You always want to start by having a good read on the website for the Board of Nursing that you are interested in. It will always give all of the information for licensure there, and what the requirements are that are needed, etc. If additional coursework or bridging programs are needed, there are many that can be Googled as well. And this goes for any country.

Please just take the time to do a search on the International site as well, much as has been already posted there. It is going to involve you in doing quite a bit of research. If you are going to spend any money you need to be very aware of how it is being spent and for what reasons and if you do not pass an exam, what can be done, etc.

[Silverdragon102]

I think it is important also to know that even if a agency does the work for you it is still your responsibility to be aware on the procedure. Should anything go wrong and it may, you can not say 'I didn't know' , authority can still turn round and say it is your responsibility to know. You can not blame the agency

[sally22]

"I think it is important also to know that even if a agency does the work for you it is still your responsibility to be aware on the procedure. Should anything go wrong and it may, you can not say 'I didn't know' , authority can still turn round and say it is your responsibility to know. You can not blame the agencyAgreed"


We are responsible for our destiny and our decisions. I have done a lot of research and so have others I am in contact with and we have all come to the same conclusion.

Questions we have asked include, What will it cost, when will I go, what will my qualifications be, how much will I earn, what are the visa requirements, can I work and when, can I take my family, can they work or study, what if we fail, where will my accommodation be, do we have options, what are the costs of the other options, and many more.

We must ask these questions. Research, analyze and decide. Then it is on us. By the way the agency has a full refund policy, and I have never heard of this in the Philippines before.

[suzanne4]

This is not the thread to be discussing this on, it was only meant as a reminder to understand every single thing before signing any contract.
There is nothing to be discussed on this topic here.

[lawrence01]

It is understood that some people may have to go through agencies or some form of it. However, individuals on it should never, ever try and push others on to their chosen agencies, esp. if there is money involved and even if they are convinced that their agency is the absolute best.

Which agency does not think they are the best on their business or say that they are mediocre ?? Almost every agency will preach that they are good.

If, for example, I am under an agency it would be best that I only recommend it if someone asks but will stop short of pushing people into it nor openly solicit for them whether on purpose or not because if something happens that is unexpected or the company did not fulfill their promises or the company folds up then the one who keeps pushing or forcing people into it may be blamed.

So, it is very impt. that people do not make even an impression of trying to push people into something they are still researching on. If one is confident on their agencies, no amount of persuasion should affect you nor take it personally if someone thinks otherwise.

The best way is to just say something like "I chose this agency because of so-and-so... but it is up to you if you believe them or not". Never, ever make any guarantees on anyone's behalf. If something wrong happens and even if no one is overtly blaming you in the open, you will have your conscience to deal with because you were the one who was pushing it too much.

This may seem childish to some but there are many friendships, relationships and families that were torn apart because of this.

Last but not least, some people seems to have a knack in pushing or convincing other people to go through Agency A or B but they themselves end up not signing with them and then hearing news about that agency they previously were pushing to not being not so good after all and then thanking themselves that they did not sign with them. In the meantime, the people they have convinced on signing is stuck with them because they believed what YOU said and there are many such cases.


**FYI: Soliciting is not allowed in the forums per our Terms of Service everyone agreed to abide upon signing-up. Coercing or trying to push too hard for something is also not allowed as well. Anyone who feels being harassed or being coerced or forced into something using any feature of the website such as PM or email thru Allnurses should report it to any of our moderators or admins. Thanks.

[sincereandpassionate]

I have signed a contract with a local agency here that is connected with a placement agency i the states. I have passed and completed all their requirements (submitted my cgfns visa screen certificate, passe my nlcex and ielts last year) but its been 3 months now, they haven't filed my application for US visa yet (packet 1) and have not heard from them too.

I chose them because there's no placement fee or processing fee or i dont have to cash out money. But there's no movement in my application and i signed a contract with them.