Canadian RN hoping to go work in the US

Published

Hi everyone, new member here!

I need some help!

I want to became a travel nurse in the USA. I am a Canadian citizen. I Have completed all my studies in Canada and currently licensed as an RN in the province of Québec.

I started doing the paperwork: First I applied to the Board of Minnesota for licensure by examination. I sent them all the papers they wanted.

Second, I signed up with Pearson VUE and paid the 200$ to register for the NCLEX exam.

From my understanding, these two separate organizations will eventually communicate with each other and give me an "Authorization to test" (ATT).

What I am having a harder time understanding is the CGFNS. I don't exactly know which report I'm suppose to be requesting from them. Is it just the VisaScreen that I should ask for? If yes, well it feels like most of it is just a repeat of what I have already done through the first two steps (minus the English test).

Anyways, I'd like to know from anyone who's every been through this before If I am doing things correctly.

Thanks!

Seb

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Yes you will need visa screen certificate as it is required when applying for a TN visa once you have found a employer

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am a Canadian RN Licensed in Alberta, Canada as well as in Minnesota. I wrote the NCLEX and passed on the first attempt with just 75 questions... only took me one hour to write it... I felt awful after the test & was sure that I had failed but I DIDN'T!!! YAY!!! So, I guess it wasn't that hard, I studied using the Kaplan study guide mostly, practice tests were the most helpful & really understanding the rationale to the answers.

Then once I passed the test, and my Alberta license was sent to Minnesota along with my university transcripts I was sent my Minnesota license. THEN & you should start now if you want to travel soon, you need to submit all of the paperwork to CGFNS for your visa screen certification .... they are solo slow ( It took almost 2 months for them to finish and send me my visa screen).

After you get the visa screen you can apply for jobs either through travel agencies (who are sketchy & cheap but WILL find you a job at least to get your feet wet to actually get the TN visa) or hospitals/private clinics. Because you NEED a job offer before you can get your TN visa. Basically you need to get a letter from the employer saying that you are fully qualified to work, then you bring it with you when you plan to move to the States and at the border crossing immigration issues your TN visa.

Hope this helps!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just a heads up, my experience with the Cgfns may be the exception (although I've read that many people are in the same boat as I), but my Cgfns took 8 months to process. Considering I'm about the most organized person you'll ever meet, it was pretty shocking. You can pay an additional 500$ to have it expedited, but if your like me, 450$ was enough of a hit to my bank account (plus fees for your schools to fill out paperwork and send transcripts). At one point around the 6 month mark, I actually called just about every other day and spoke to my case manager trying to get it moving, only to find out that she walked off the job with no notice. Needless to say, I'm glad the process is over, and I won't have to worry about it again for a while. So the moral of my story, be organized, have everything ready before submitting your paperwork, have a contact person at each school you went to who is willing to put in a little extra work for you, and too much information is always better then too little when it comes to Cgfns.

Best of luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks guys!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion