Attention all Canadian CRNA's/SRNA's/Hopefuls. . .

Published

Hello Folks!

My name is Niki, and I'm mostly a lurker here on the fourum, here's why I'm posting. . .

I'm a senior Nursing Student in Saint John, NB, Canada with lofty dreams of becoming a CRNA. While I am aware od admission requirements for programs etc. . .there's something else on my mind:

If I one day achieve this goal, I will have to work in the U.S, and probably live there too, my question is this:

1) Do Canadian CRNA's have difficulty obtaining a Green Card? I know there are a certain #/year, and that there are provisions for people with master's degrees/certain professions.

2) I would appreciate any other person's advice with knowledge on this topic, thank you!

No such thing as a Canadian CRNA

Hello Folks!

My name is Niki, and I'm mostly a lurker here on the fourum, here's why I'm posting. . .

I'm a senior Nursing Student in Saint John, NB, Canada with lofty dreams of becoming a CRNA. While I am aware od admission requirements for programs etc. . .there's something else on my mind:

If I one day achieve this goal, I will have to work in the U.S, and probably live there too, my question is this:

1) Do Canadian CRNA's have difficulty obtaining a Green Card? I know there are a certain #/year, and that there are provisions for people with master's degrees/certain professions.

2) I would appreciate any other person's advice with knowledge on this topic, thank you!

I knew I remembered reading a post on here somewhere about a pilot Nurse Practitioner- Anesthesia program in Canada. Here's the link. Good luck!

Quote:

"Nurse Practitioners-Anesthesia are registered nurses with advanced

preparation at a Masters level who will take part in the provision of

anaesthesia care. The government is providing the University of Toronto with

funding to establish a joint program between the faculties of Nursing and

Medicine to provide a comprehensive curriculum required for Nurse

Practitioners-Anesthesia to participate in the Anesthesia Care Teams.

"We're proud to be a part of this innovative approach to delivering

health care," said Sioban Nelson, University of Toronto Dean of Nursing. "Our

graduates will fill a great need and make a significant contribution towards

strengthening health care in Ontario."

http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2007/03/17/c3643.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html

I knew I remembered reading a post on here somewhere about a pilot Nurse Practitioner- Anesthesia program in Canada. Here's the link. Good luck!

Quote:

"Nurse Practitioners-Anesthesia are registered nurses with advanced

preparation at a Masters level who will take part in the provision of

anaesthesia care. The government is providing the University of Toronto with

funding to establish a joint program between the faculties of Nursing and

Medicine to provide a comprehensive curriculum required for Nurse

Practitioners-Anesthesia to participate in the Anesthesia Care Teams.

"We're proud to be a part of this innovative approach to delivering

health care," said Sioban Nelson, University of Toronto Dean of Nursing. "Our

graduates will fill a great need and make a significant contribution towards

strengthening health care in Ontario."

http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2007/03/17/c3643.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html

Two differences in Canada - one, each province kind of makes it's own rules. And in the Canadian proposals, "Nurse Practitioners-Anesthesia" will be fully medically directed, not independent.

Two differences in Canada - one, each province kind of makes it's own rules. And in the Canadian proposals, "Nurse Practitioners-Anesthesia" will be fully medically directed, not independent.

...and someone will still get to live their dreams without leaving their family and coming to the U.S- (eventhough it may be only a couple of hours away :)- who knows, if they're willing to take this leap, maybe they will grant them more autonomy in the future!

Certain agencies specialize in bringing in nurse from other countries. They basically do all the paperwork for you (for a cut of your pay, of course) to get you set up with a company and help with your application for a H-1 visa. I am sure there will be agencies that also extend this to CRNAs, given the shortage. Why not try contacting a couple and asking them of your opportunities if you were to be trained as a CRNA but did not have US residency.

Certain agencies specialize in bringing in nurse from other countries. They basically do all the paperwork for you (for a cut of your pay, of course) to get you set up with a company and help with your application for a H-1 visa. I am sure there will be agencies that also extend this to CRNAs, given the shortage. Why not try contacting a couple and asking them of your opportunities if you were to be trained as a CRNA but did not have US residency.

Actually the H1-B visa is not avaiable for nurses and has not been for more than three years. Nurses come over with the green card only, and have been expedited for one over the past couple of years before this last retrogression. No foreign nurses are being brought over to the US under the temporary work visa of the H1-B visa, not even available for nurses any more.

But since the above poster is Canadian, then they qualify for the NAFTA TN Visa and can come down to work in the US quite easily once they have RN after their name, and a job offer, and a Visa Screen Certificate. Whether CRNA or just RN, the process is the same for the TN Visa and that is the easiest way to go to get started.

Check out the International Forum for more specifics on this.:balloons:

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