Been for Embassy interview

Hi

When you say fund yourself-How much have you paid in all and for what? This would help when advising nurses to go alone.

Yes Moderator .......

Seriously tho Kay, yes, you are quite right. These are the costs I incurred...

CES Report from CGFNS...........................$225

Visascreen............................................$325

Registration with Pearson for NCLEX...........$200

Extra fee to Pearson for NCLEX in London....$150

Now, this is where it gets interesting......once you have a job offer from an employer who is willing to petition you, an Immigration Attorney is needed to do all the legal work for the immigration process. There have been various figures relating to what the cost of this is, but I believe it to be in the region of $5000......however, your employer should bear the cost of this, mine has done so. The only extra money I had to pay was $380 for my husband's visa fee. Also, my employer has given me $1900 as a reimbursement for the fees I paid myself to CGFNS and for NCLEX, which actually was $1000 over and above what it actually cost me, so I think I got a pretty good deal.

So if you can afford the $900 or so to get to the point of having NCLEX and Visascreen, you are in a good position to approach a hospital and apply for direct hire.

Hope this is of some help to those just starting out and wondering which route to go.....agency or direct hire :)

Hi,

Thanks for the info Tina! To be honest, I much prefer to go the direct route. Is the best way to just phone hospital's up from the UK and ask them if they sponsor foreigners? Or would it be better to go over there and speak to someone in person? Or is that illegal if you haven't got permission to stay yet!!!!??? So many question's... LOL!

Thanks

Ste :monkeydance:

Hi,

Thanks for the info Tina! To be honest, I much prefer to go the direct route. Is the best way to just phone hospital's up from the UK and ask them if they sponsor foreigners? Or would it be better to go over there and speak to someone in person? Or is that illegal if you haven't got permission to stay yet!!!!??? So many question's... LOL!

Thanks

Ste :monkeydance:

no reason why you don't go out and speak to them but you would have to come back to the UK to go through the process (AOS can be done but not recommended and you need to be able to support yourself for over 4 months whilst waiting) Would also help if you have NCLEX and VS under your belt and they would more likely offer to petition you

Thanks for the advice Anna. I think then, when the time comes, I will go over there and see what can be arranged. I've heard far too many of these horror stories regarding agencies, plus I'd rather be more independent as Tina say's. :paw:

Is the best way to just phone hospital's up from the UK and ask them if they sponsor foreigners? Or would it be better to go over there and speak to someone in person? Or is that illegal if you haven't got permission to stay yet!!!!???

There's nothing stopping you contacting hospitals from here in the UK, but you asked which is the best way.....in my opinion, if you can travel to the US and do a bit of networking face to face, that's certainly the best way, that's what I did and I think it got me there much quicker than if I'd have tried to get hired from here. Bear in mind though...if you have NCLEX and Visascreen, you will be in a much stronger postion for any employer to take you seriously. I've heard of some nurses who approach US hospitals direct, only to be told to come back once they have NCLEX. Hope that helps :)

PS : It's quite legal to travel to the US on a Visa Waiver, you can stay for up to 90 days but need to be able to prove, if asked, that you intend to return to the UK and your trip is not to seek work and stay there.

Thanks for the advice you guys, I think the face to face approach would probably be the best way to go about it. I suppose my main dilemma is this business of making up the hours!!!! I had a meeting with a admissions tutor at Salford Uni this morning, and he said on my transcript at the end I will have 75 hours of theory in pediactrics, mental health, and obstetrics, but only 10 hours practical in each!!! It's sooooo frustrating when all the resources to teach me are right on my door step, when I might have to end up going to Canada or somewhere just to make up the difference. Apparently you need a minimum of 60 hours practical in each (according to ogp) which is what? a week and a half per catagory!!!

I'm still a while off going to the US yet anyway, as I have yet to start my degree, but I just wanted to make sure I know as much as I can from the start!!:)

Steven

I had a meeting with a admissions tutor at Salford Uni this morning, and he said on my transcript at the end I will have 75 hours of theory in pediactrics, mental health, and obstetrics, but only 10 hours practical in each!!! Apparently you need a minimum of 60 hours practical in each

It's been said before but I'm gonna say it again.......I'm sure this is a deliberate ploy to prevent UK nurses being eligible to get licensed in the US :angryfire

I completely agree that this shortfall in hours is a deliberate attempt to shackle UK nurse's to the NHS!!! Next minute you know, they will be banning this website in the UK!! LOL

I think it is important to bear in mind that all routes to the US will involve some financial commitment either to the agency or the hospital which is sponsering you. You may well be tied into a 2-3 year contract with a hospital and it may involve lots of dollars if you break that contract. So when you are considering hospital v agency, it may be worth bearing in mind no way is free.

This is very true...I started off with a recruiter as such, and when we got the job she decided to give up the business. But we still had a job. The hospital paid her a finders fee which we didnt realise until AFTER we started and when we decided to leave after 5 months we had to pay $5000 back.

(when I say "WE" - I mean me & other UK nurse)

Things to bear in mind:

If you go it alone as already been said it gives you more freedom and there are certainly more cost implications...the hospital will no doubt offer some sort of bonus to help you or recruitment fee..this comes with a contract of sorts for a commitment for a certain length of time - maybe 18 months to 2 years probrably.

Bear in mind these bonuses are subject to tax state and federal.

We had an $8000 bonus in new hospital - and we were thrilled because it would pay off the $5000 owed to other hospital and give us some change.........we knew we would be taxed but Federal tax took $2000 off immediately - apparently it is federal law if you get a bonus 25% gets taken off in tax....so be careful...