Hey, any Aussies working in the USA?

vandang0 · May 10, 2011

Hi Guys, great feedback. Ive been looking into this for a while now and keep coming accross dead ends. I contacted the Queensland Nurses Union from Townsville and she emailed a lady called ****, from the Office of professionals NY. (I want to work in NYC) She advised me to apply through www.op.nysed.gov/prof/. When i went to this site there is a special tab for forign nurses who wish to work in NYC and it sent me to a link called www.cgfns.org. Here I learnt that this organisation will contact my university i graduated from and verify my credentials. This costs $390. From here I believe I can apply for the neclex? and then greencard? Does anyone have any information about this.

Aunurse1 · May 10, 2011

Hi Guys, great feedback. Ive been looking into this for a while now and keep coming accross dead ends. I contacted the Queensland Nurses Union from Townsville and she emailed a lady called ZINA, from the Office of professionals NY. (I want to work in NYC) She advised me to apply through www.op.nysed.gov/prof/. When i went to this site there is a special tab for forign nurses who wish to work in NYC and it sent me to a link called www.cgfns.org. Here I learnt that this organisation will contact my university i graduated from and verify my credentials. This costs $390. From here I believe I can apply for the neclex? and then greencard? Does anyone have any information about this.

From New York's board of nursing website (http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nursing.htm) it does say you will need to go through CGFNS in order to apply for a nursing license. In order to sit the Nclex you will first need to complete cgfns' requirements. For the general requirements you can go here http://www.ezstaffing.com/nurse_intl_cgfns.html#11. Warning though, just because you do the requirements it does not mean you will be accepted even if you are currently an RN. Specifically, make sure you are currently licensed and you meet CGFNS' education requirements. These can be found here http://www.cgfns.org/files/pdf/req/vs-requirements.pdf. In America they require their nurses to have both clinical and theoretical hours in subjects that are not required as an Australian RN, such as clinical/theoretical hours in Maternal/Infant Care. If you do not have the hours don't bother applying until you do, or you'll be in my situation where I have to pay a "renewal fee" on my cgfns application since I need more times to get those additional hours.

Just prepare yourself, CGFNS can be a real headache with their service and the amount of time it takes. The best success stories I've heard has taken 3 months and that's with meeting everything perfectly. Others like me are nearly a year into it and still working on it. It's the first step, if you get passed it you'll be on your way. I wish you the best :)

CGFNS' website can be found at http://www.cgfns.org (This is where you will apply and find out any additional information)

EDIT: I failed to mention about working visas in the US. The two you will be most interested in is the H1-B and E-3 visa. Both of these have their own slew or requirements that does not guarantee you acceptance. E-3 visa is the best route as it is specifically for Australians with a specialty occupation. The most difficult part of the e-3 visa is providing proof of a job position in the US. You will need to attain a job offer or sponsorship of some degree from an employer related to your degree requiring a minimum of a bachelors. This can be difficult for obvious reasons and also most general RN positions in USA state a minimum of an Associates degree (2year). Even if a bachelors is "preferred", in those situations you will not qualify for the e-3 as it must be a "specialty" position with a 4 year minimum.

vandang0 · May 10, 2011

Great information. Is there someone I can call direct and ask them if im eligable. Im four years out of university and have worked in surgical department for majority (I did not complete any further education in this department). Last year in august I switched fields to Paediatrics, which in my eyes includes infants and children. No maternity as such. And as for mental health, do hours spent there on placements count. Also I am completeing a certificate in paediatrics nurseing and will graduate in Oct from that.

Aunurse1 · May 10, 2011

Great information. Is there someone I can call direct and ask them if im eligable. Im four years out of university and have worked in surgical department for majority (I did not complete any further education in this department). Last year in august I switched fields to Paediatrics, which in my eyes includes infants and children. No maternity as such. And as for mental health, do hours spent there on placements count. Also I am completeing a certificate in paediatrics nurseing and will graduate in Oct from that.

https://www.cgfns.org/cerpassweb/contactUsAfterHours.jsp That's their contact information with the hours but it's in US Eastern Time so you will have to adjust accordingly. You will be on hold for awhile and I'm not sure how much they will actually assist you unless you have already paid. Did I mention they're a bad service? They explicitly state they want clinical placement hours and theoretical hours in your education in those specific fields. This is in order to equate your degree to an american degree. I highly doubt they would be willing to work around those requirements but calling and asking wouldn't hurt. Good luck!

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 10, 2011

Great information. Is there someone I can call direct and ask them if im eligable. Im four years out of university and have worked in surgical department for majority (I did not complete any further education in this department). Last year in august I switched fields to Paediatrics, which in my eyes includes infants and children. No maternity as such. And as for mental health, do hours spent there on placements count. Also I am completeing a certificate in paediatrics nurseing and will graduate in Oct from that.

You do not call anyone you have to complete CVS for New York and they will do their own assessment and make a decision to whether you can sit NCLEX or not

Then once you have a license you need to look for a employer and sort out work visa. If looking for a immigrant visa (GC) then you will have a long long wait due to retrogression however if you are a Australian citizen you can use E3 which will allow you to work with an employer in the US

http://www.visabureau.com/america/e3-visa.aspx

allnurses Guide · May 18, 2011

EDIT: I failed to mention about working visas in the US. The two you will be most interested in is the H1-B and E-3 visa. Both of these have their own slew or requirements that does not guarantee you acceptance. E-3 visa is the best route as it is specifically for Australians with a specialty occupation. The most difficult part of the e-3 visa is providing proof of a job position in the US. You will need to attain a job offer or sponsorship of some degree from an employer related to your degree requiring a minimum of a bachelors. This can be difficult for obvious reasons and also most general RN positions in USA state a minimum of an Associates degree (2year). Even if a bachelors is "preferred", in those situations you will not qualify for the e-3 as it must be a "specialty" position with a 4 year minimum.

That's not quite accurate - there's nothing that says a position must require a 4 year minimum. Indeed almost all bachelor degrees in Australia are 3 yr degrees. The requirement for the visa is that it's a skilled professional position which requires a bachelor degree OR EQUIVALENT as entry. I know of several people who had work experience which substituted for the degree.

The hang up with the E3 is finding someone to offer you a job before you apply for it. However its not impossible; I have been working on an E3 for 4 years and currently in the immigrant visa process with my employer.

To the other poster, hours worked since completing your undergraduate degree are not counted for CGFNS or US nursing board purposes, they must be undergrad hours with clinical and theory completed at an approved nursing school. There are several posts on this board about it if you search. It is an endlessly annoying and expensive and long process, but just take it step by step and you will get there. Why New York, if you don't mind me asking?

Aunurse1 · May 18, 2011

That's not quite accurate - there's nothing that says a position must require a 4 year minimum. Indeed almost all bachelor degrees in Australia are 3 yr degrees. The requirement for the visa is that it's a skilled professional position which requires a bachelor degree OR EQUIVALENT as entry. I know of several people who had work experience which substituted for the degree.
The hang up with the E3 is finding someone to offer you a job before you apply for it. However its not impossible; I have been working on an E3 for 4 years and currently in the immigrant visa process with my employer.
To the other poster, hours worked since completing your undergraduate degree are not counted for CGFNS or US nursing board purposes, they must be undergrad hours with clinical and theory completed at an approved nursing school. There are several posts on this board about it if you search. It is an endlessly annoying and expensive and long process, but just take it step by step and you will get there. Why New York, if you don't mind me asking?

Not sure what isn't accurate about what I said. The job position needs to be a specialty position to qualify. "Specialty position" is defined as a job that requires "A theoretical and practical application of a body of specialized knowledge; and

The attainment of a bachelor’s or higher degree in the specific specialty (or its equivalent) as a minimum for entry into the occupation in the United States." http://canberra.usembassy.gov/e3visa.html That's where it does specifically say that.

My employer's legal department was unwilling to sign for my e3 as the nursing position only "required" a 2 year associates degree even though it preferred a bachelors. This is the main point I was trying to get across as the person asking is also a nurse. The e3 visa can be difficult to attain working as just an RN.

Edit: Also from the same website

Q: I have a degree and have found a job in a related profession in the U.S. Do I qualify for the E-3 visa?

A: The job will qualify provided that it requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a specialty occupation. It is not enough that an E-3 applicant holds a particular degree; the job itself must also require a bachelor-level or higher qualification. For example, someone with a degree in Business Studies planning to work as a Personal Assistant would not be eligible for the E-3 unless the job actually required a bachelor-level qualification.

allnurses Guide · Jun 7, 2011

Yes obviously. Sorry I thought I was clear about the inaccuracy in your post. Your post said "Even if a bachelors is "preferred", in those situations you will not qualify for the e-3 as it must be a "specialty" position with a 4 year minimum." As I stated, there is nothing that mentions needing a 4 year minimum anything. Not meaning to be pedantic, but the details can really make or break you with regard to this stuff.

I agree that the position must clearly require a bachelor degree, regardless of whether you have one. ie. it must require BSN and not ADN in the job description.