H1b Visa for nurses under FY 2010

louieb · Jul 29, 2012

Or maybe the UScis is not so strict when giving h1b visa to nurses back in 2009? Idk, i just thought about it if it does matter? Thank you guys in advance :)

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jul 30, 2012

They have to pay H1b fees not you, that is part and parcel of H1b, you however pay for licensing and visa screen fees

Also add H1b is finished for this year unless they facility is exempt from the cap like a university

misswoosie · Jul 30, 2012

1. As H-1B is for specialty occupations defined as requiring AT LEAST a BACHELORS degree for entry (which nursing in the US does not) USCIS (according to my attorneys) are very suspicious of H-1B applications for nursing positions, unless for Nurse Practitioner or Clinical Nurse Specialists which require a MSN and licensing.They told me that you stand a higher chance of H-1B being approved if the job title contains any/some of the words manager/coordinator/research , but it's also dependant on the job duties/responsibilities/experience required. This is because any position has to be given a title from the O NETT list of titles/descriptions.Sometimes the job title may seem a little way out eg my husband is a Health services researcher-Masters required, but there is no O'NETT title of HS researcher so the job title on his applications say Epidemiologist, because the duties and educational requirements were the ones that most closely matched his. (See below)

2.I had heard of experienced dialysis and ICU nurses without Bachelors degrees and not with a huge number of years experience getting H-1Bs but I wouls caution that in the US they have been auditing companies and checking that people working on H-1Bs are doing jobs that qualified for the visa. Seems like some companies were using false job descriptions/ titles/salaries so that they could get visas for employees. I haven't heard of any hospitals being audited, but I have a feeling that any nurses on H1-B will be employed by agencies, rather than directly by hospitals

Regarding O NETT- any RN bedside nursing position , even an ICU nurse falls into job zone 3-medium preparation needed and aroind 60% only have an Associates degree.

29-1141.00 - Registered Nurses

Unlike a bedside RN a Health Services Manager is job zone 5 and more than 90% have a Bachelors or higher

11-9111.00 - Medical and Health Services Managers

Clinical research coordinator is zob zone 4 and 50% have a Bachelors degree, but few have Masters

11-9121.01 - Clinical Research Coordinators

I thought you would have to have IELTS and credentials evaluation via CGFNS for the visa screen certificate, and then this would need to go to the Cal BON who would then allow (or not) allow you to sit NCLEX.

The whole purpose of visa screen is to "pre-screen" RNs to check that they meet the requirements for a US RN license prior to even looking at a visa application.

It's the same if it's a Green card application.

Sorry manybe I misunderstood, but it seems a little back to front to me.

As for the H-1B attorneys and filing fees the employer MUST pay these for H1-B.

Visa screen certificate you can pay for yourself- it's a drop in the ocean at a few hundred $$$ compared to the cost of an H-1B -around $10,000