Canadian RN moving to California - Licensing help please!

[Kirbypineapple]

My wife and I are Canadian and I'm moving to California for work. She is an RN who passed the NCLEX in 2016, and has worked for about a year in a Canadian hospital. We're trying to navigate the process of getting her licensed in California but it's been a bit challenging. Our understanding:

1. She can't apply to be licensed in California with out a SSN.
   
2. She can't get an SSN without a job.
   
3. She can't get a job without being licensed.
   

The work around we've read about is that you get licensed in another state that doesn't require an SSN to become licensed, and then obtain licensure via endorsement.

The odd thing about the application forms for licensure via endorsement is that they explicitly support a transfer from Canada, but require an SSN or ITIN. Would a simpler way of doing this be to apply for an ITIN and then apply directly to the CA BON? We have one friend who recently applied to the CA BON without an SSN or ITIN and their license was granted, and they seemed to think it was no big deal.

[tosca rose]

1 hour ago, Momo6370 said:

Can you provide more information? Are you saying that she was able to get her SSN before her license?

Nope, my friend got a job offer with passing california nclex only. After crossing the border with all the requirements. They issue her a ssn. And forwarded to BON, then she got her license only. For TN visa, u need to have a state license or pass nclex.

[Momo6370]

2 minutes ago, tosca rose said:

Nope, my friend got a job offer with passing california nclex only. After crossing the border with all the requirements. They issue her a ssn. And forwarded to BON, then she got her license only. For TN visa, u need to have a state license or pass nclex.

Yes so I have passed the NCLEX! That would mean I should be eligible for a TN Visa.

[westcoastlife]

On 5/31/2019 at 8:27 AM, Momo6370 said:

Yes so I have passed the NCLEX! That would mean I should be eligible for a TN Visa.

Usually for a TN Visa, you need a job offer as well the NCLEX and having a nursing license. The TN Visa is tied to the job offer, so each TN Visa is only good for 1 contract, then you have the renew or reapply if you are changing hospitals. See https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/employment/visas-canadian-mexican-nafta-professional-workers.html

You can't just get the TN Visa without having already secured the job. Hope this helps.

[westcoastlife]

On 5/31/2019 at 12:40 AM, Momo6370 said:

I am having this exact issue and I was wondering if OP was able to come up with a less convoluted solution?

Hopefully they (or others) can share what steps were taken to receive Work Authorization, SSN, and Cali License.

I just received my CGFNS Visa Screen Certificate and TN Letter. Will I be able to receive a TN Visa with those two (in conjunction with my Canadian License)?

No you can't. See https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/employment/visas-canadian-mexican-nafta-professional-workers.html for info on getting a TN Visa. You will need a "A contract or letter of employment in the United States - To show that you have a job offer" per the required documentation to submit for the TN.

To get a SSN you need an eligible work permit/permanent residence authorization.

[Momo6370]

Just to verify, the original premise is WRONG. Please stop spreading false information.

If you have a job offer, you CAN get a TN Visa without a California license.

For ex. I'm a nurse in Ontario with my Ontario Nursing License. I was able to receive my TN Visa. From there, I just took a day trip to cross the border and apply for my SSN. Now I'm at a stage where I am applying for "Endorsement of License" to receive my Nursing License in California.

Hopefully this helps future nurses.

[Amonitzer]

On 7/10/2019 at 7:50 PM, Momo6370 said:

Just to verify, the original premise is WRONG. Please stop spreading false information.

If you have a job offer, you CAN get a TN Visa without a California license.

For ex. I'm a nurse in Ontario with my Ontario Nursing License. I was able to receive my TN Visa. From there, I just took a day trip to cross the border and apply for my SSN. Now I'm at a stage where I am applying for "Endorsement of License" to receive my Nursing License in California.

Hopefully this helps future nurses.

Hi there, are you still on this forum? Would love to ask you a few questions.

[millo]

hi,

As a Canadian nurse with my New York license, cgfns letter, can I travel down to California to submit my California application then do the Livescan? or is only solely for California resident that can do that only? What will I need to bring to do the Livescan?

[ssrah]

On 7/10/2019 at 4:50 PM, Momo6370 said:

Just to verify, the original premise is WRONG. Please stop spreading false information.

If you have a job offer, you CAN get a TN Visa without a California license.

For ex. I'm a nurse in Ontario with my Ontario Nursing License. I was able to receive my TN Visa. From there, I just took a day trip to cross the border and apply for my SSN. Now I'm at a stage where I am applying for "Endorsement of License" to receive my Nursing License in California.

Hopefully this helps future nurses.

Hello is there any way you can pm me, I'm starting this process and feel lost. Thanks so much!

[NYnurse]

Hi Millo,

 

I am in the same position as you, Canadian RN currently licensed and working in NYC. I have my CGFNS letter and looking to apply to CA for RN license. Were you able to use CGFNS for school endorsement (transcripts and course verification)? If so I would love to hear your feedback. I have called CGFNS who said this was possible if someone in CA okayed it, so far no one at CA BRN has any idea about this and I have been tossed between employer for the last 3 weeks trying to get an answer. 

 

Would love some insight, thanks in advance! 

 

[hypnotizer90, BSN, RN]

On 10/18/2020 at 12:46 PM, NYnurse said:

I am in the same position as you, Canadian RN currently licensed and working in NYC. I have my CGFNS letter and looking to apply to CA for RN license. Were you able to use CGFNS for school endorsement (transcripts and course verification)? If so I would love to hear your feedback. I have called CGFNS who said this was possible if someone in CA okayed it, so far no one at CA BRN has any idea about this and I have been tossed between employer for the last 3 weeks trying to get an answer. 

 

Hi, any update on this? I am thinking of using CGFNS (eDAS) $225 to send previous paperworks (from Visa Screen) to California BRN for endorsement from US State. I went to 3 schools (Ontario) and contacting those 3 schools are painstaking. 

[NYnurse]

Hi! I am currently in the process of waiting for my documents to be reviewed. However, I was assigned an International evaluator who explained the process a bit better. CGFNS can send an eDas to CA via an electronic portal. The international evaluators have access to this, not the frontline people who answer the phones at CA BON. She approved for my transcripts and licensing to come from CGFNS, however I still needed to send in my NCLEX results/ initial RN license approval from the original board of nursing. I also had my university send in the degree breakdown because the evaluator was vague on whether this would be accepted (basically she would not say yes until she saw what the complete form said) and I wanted to be safer. 

[hypnotizer90, BSN, RN]

45 minutes ago, NYnurse said:

Hi! I am currently in the process of waiting for my documents to be reviewed. 

OK. I recently paid & waiting for them to process my application. What is the time frame to send all required documents for you?

This application probably is a pain similar to Maine BON. This is my 2nd year under TN. I don't know where my nursing call yet. Having a Cali license is an achievement I guess. 

Quote

I still needed to send in my NCLEX results/ initial RN license approval from the original board of nursing

The verification of license and NCLEX result was also sent by CNO to CGFNS (original BON). Did the Cali BRN needed a recent one? 

* I will probably just pay eDAS and wait from there. May need to pick up extra shifts to cover the costs. I am also reading a thread that some deficiences are being waived due to this pandemic.