Florida LPN licensure as a foreign student

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I am a Canadian Advanced Care paramedic who has taken a year's leave from work. I have just recently completed my LPN program in Florida . I would like to bridge to RN and have been working on my prerequisites (there is no reciprocity for Canadian paramedic to bridge to RN). I own a home in Florida and am tired of working in the snow. :)

I have just learned I am ineligible to obtain my Florida Licensure because I do not (cannot) have an American Social

Security number. I will be returning to Canada at the end of this week, no license, and a lot of debt. Now I am ineligible to bridge without a license, and unable to obtain the required work experience. Has anyone else come across this situation? thank you.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the International forum with the goal of getting a helpful answer to your query. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

There are several states that will not issue a license without a SSN and I was wondering what sort of status did you have for the 12 months you did your LPN? Unfortunately LPN doesn't meet work visa requirements so I am also unsure how you plan on getting work experience whilst bridging to RN? If you was an International student then you could have used OPT which would have given you 12 months experience but that has to be applied for before you complete your training.

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Thank you for your reply to my thread. I came down on an M1 visa, arranged by the school. Prior to this I had been working on my prerequisites online in Canada through Florida Community College in Jacksonville. Over this past year, they have also incorporated LPN experience prior to bridging approval. I had no idea the SSN was a requirement, because all along both schools have been using my Canadian number. I have learned in recent weeks that I could possibly have applied for an OPT but may not meet the requirements on an M1. Also, the EAD requires 90 days to process, and you cannot leave the country during this period. So..... extend my visa, apply for an OPT and EAD? Down the road, with a license I would apply for a work visa, and hopefully obtain a job to meet the bridging requirement. Meanwhile, I have to go home. I need to go back to work and pay for my expenses. I am very disappointed. But the experience this past year has been wonderful - and I have met many wonderful friends and nurses! So, I just need to find out which states don't have a SSN, or residency requirement.... thank you.

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Hi I would like to know what happened. Did you get the License.

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