Canadian Nurse Seeking Employment in VA (TD to TN status change)

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Hello! I'm new to the forum.

im desperate to get working after coming to the US as a TD on my Husbands TN visa. Thankfully we moved to VA which is one of the few states which will take my active Canadian license by endorsement.

Ive been applying and so far employers don't seem eager to sponsor me, even though we are already down here and that work is done.

Does anyone have advice, insight, etc into the next steps I should be taking to get this ball rolling?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Are you a Canadian citizen? If so you just need an offer of employment, VSC, and to go back across the border for a TN visa. Are you an experienced nurse? Specialty trained? (Both will increase your opportunities) No sponsorship just a written job offer. Very few facilities have the need or desire to go through the time & expense of visa sponsorship when in most areas there are a surplus of inexperienced new grad nurses

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In addition to justbeachy's question. Can you also answer what the nursing job market is like in VA? If there is a surplus of local qualified applicants, employers cannot justify hiring a Canadian applicant who requires a TN visa.

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Ok so just need the job offer. Great!

Can i do the vsc now?

I am an am an experienced nurse, 8 years of experience in high risk labour and delivery, and have RTS perinatal bereavement coordinator certificate.

they will give job offers to nurses who do not yet meet all employment criteria? (I.e.: requiring status, needing licensing in that state, etc)

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There seems to be a demand for nurses. They are having hiring and recruitment fairs all the time and some positions are offering signing bonuses. But, I don't know how evident that is of the situation.

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Do you have a VA license?

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I'm working on it. It's been extremely frustrating because nobody seems to have a clue what's going on when I email/talk to the BON, or the employers I've already attempted.

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Wait until after you have your VA license to apply for jobs, employers usually require applicants to have valid state licenses.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Your biggest barrier is that you don't have a license. Most employers won't consider you without a valid license. It's not a simple endorsement to VA.

You can start the VSC now but without an nclex pass or license I'm not sure you will be able to complete the process. You don't need sponsorship so telling employers you do may be as big of a barrier as not having a valid license.

Focus on getting a valid VA RN license first. Most employers won't consider you without a valid license and an ability to work.

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Apparently for a VA license I do not need to write the nclex. I do have an active Ontario license, that is endorsable. It's just the process to get that done.

i can't fulfill their online applications because I don't have a SSN, and I can't get a SSN until I have a job offer.

What a nightmare

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Have you checked if the BON has another other option if you don't have a SSN?

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Thank you both so much for your guidance. I'll definitely be contacting the BON again and getting this ball rolling faster.

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