Canadian nurses headed for the US

Pattiecake · Nov 21, 2004

Never really participated in a forum before,hope this is what I'm supposed to do. I too am Canadian and started the VisaScreen stuff last February. Had everything in place and Certificate in hand by June 24/04. For future reference, once you have your US job, and you have to renew your certificate every 5 years, usually the employer will pick up the cost.

jaycrue · Nov 21, 2004

Never really participated in a forum before,hope this is what I'm supposed to do. I too am Canadian and started the VisaScreen stuff last February. Had everything in place and Certificate in hand by June 24/04. For future reference, once you have your US job, and you have to renew your certificate every 5 years, usually the employer will pick up the cost.

Hey, thanks for the info.I guess it's true visa screening usually goes for about four months! Would you advise agency work or apply directly with a hospital?

Pattiecake · Nov 22, 2004

There is such a HUGE nurse shortage in the US. You won't have any problem finding work in a hospital, or any field of your choice. You will need to get your nurse license in whatever state you will work in, then just start applying. It seems a shame to work for a nursing agency, when you can bypass the middleman and get the job yourself. In many circumstances nurses can state their own wage when the nurse works directly for the hospital. Agencies charge a huge fee to the hospital for the services you will provide. You will only receive the going rate that the agency pays to it's individual nurses.

I have worked in the US for 8 years and have done it both ways. My advice is to avoid the agencies.

Pat

jaycrue · Nov 22, 2004

There is such a HUGE nurse shortage in the US. You won't have any problem finding work in a hospital, or any field of your choice. You will need to get your nurse license in whatever state you will work in, then just start applying. It seems a shame to work for a nursing agency, when you can bypass the middleman and get the job yourself. In many circumstances nurses can state their own wage when the nurse works directly for the hospital. Agencies charge a huge fee to the hospital for the services you will provide. You will only receive the going rate that the agency pays to it's individual nurses.
I have worked in the US for 8 years and have done it both ways. My advice is to avoid the agencies.
Pat

Thank you, I hope to make it out by March, enjoy the winter hahaha! before leaving it for a while.

karsa · Nov 24, 2004

I am finding the CGFNS visa screen a nightmare. You go to the site and it quotes" Canadian nurses after all documents received are getting papers in 2 weeks". When you are on hold to talk to someone (always call at 9am or you will be on for at least 30 minutes before talking to someone) they state "expect 6 weeks for processing after all documents are received". Well all my documents were received on Sept 22 and I am still here twiddling my thumbs! I have contacted customer service, faxed, and now contacted Directors of CGFNS directly and I am still getting the run around. I have noted through the internet that this is nothing out of the ordinary. So please allow yourself a lot of wait time for this very expensive visa screen money grab.

I am grateful that the hospitals are so accommodating. I am starting an OR Internship and they have to keep moving my date back for starting. This whole visa screen is ridiculous! I am getting very bitter very quickly!

I am so excited to start a new specialty and knowing that my file has been sitting in one area of an office for 8 weeks (I know because I call them twice a week) and has not even been looked at yet is very frustrating!

So how many of us are in the process of going south of the border?
How far along are your papers?
Are you done with your NCLEX?
Are you done with your visa screen? If not how far along are you?
Where would you like to go and why? would it be weather or money reasons.
Well personally i'm done with NCLEX starting my visa screen, thinking about San fransisco, more multicultural similar Toronto and better weather. I haven't thought about the money, I know it will be more that ONA rates.

Pattiecake · Nov 25, 2004

When I was waiting for my VisaScreen to arrive I found that the help line really didn't have acurate info on my file. I received a letter from CGFNS saying they had my English exam marks, but even a week later the help line did not have that info. Just stop calling. You'll just make yourself crazy. If everything was in in Sept, you should get it any day now. I found their website even less helpful than the phone line. If you want to talk to a real human being at CGFNS through email, I can try to locate the person I communicated with. Lost it on my home computer due to formatting after a virus, but I might have it at work. Let me know.

pat

jaycrue · Nov 25, 2004

Is there an agency or service that could do all your paper work for you for a fee? Do all your follow up phone calls, and send all your paper work as long as you provide all your documentation Then they just give you updates?

.... just me being lazy.... by the time we pay all the fees were broke...

Pattiecake · Nov 25, 2004

At this point I have not heard of any such agency. Wanna go into a new business?

pat

karsa · Nov 26, 2004

That would be great pattiecake if you could find the info. I would greatly appreciate it. We sold our house and had to close and had to move in with relatives until the move. I live too far away from where I used to work now and cannot commute and am not working while waiting. I think when they put the year delay through for RN's who already work in the U.S. they should have done it for the ones going down now as well. I really do not think that the CGFNS is prepared for the avalanche of applications now and are not properly staffed. I emailed the Director of Advocacy and Quality Assurance who said she would look into it. But now I find out she is on vacation for 2 weeks with no resolution in sight.

When I was waiting for my VisaScreen to arrive I found that the help line really didn't have acurate info on my file. I received a letter from CGFNS saying they had my English exam marks, but even a week later the help line did not have that info. Just stop calling. You'll just make yourself crazy. If everything was in in Sept, you should get it any day now. I found their website even less helpful than the phone line. If you want to talk to a real human being at CGFNS through email, I can try to locate the person I communicated with. Lost it on my home computer due to formatting after a virus, but I might have it at work. Let me know.
pat

jaycrue · Nov 26, 2004

At this point I have not heard of any such agency. Wanna go into a new business?
pat

It would be great to have a business like that, I doubt alot of nurses would go for it, especially after NCLEX and CGFNS get all the money, not to mention our schools and CNO who ask for money to release our records as well! :angryfire

Hey, what's on everybodys wish list for Christmas.

I have my x-box and HALO 2 and my girlfriend says she's happy for now so everything is cool. How bout the rest of you?