I need some help.

kukukajoo, LPN · Jan 19, 2008

Wait Suzanne. We are on the same page here.

I was just wanting the information you posted to be accurrate as many others will be looking at it and there are some things in there that are not entirely correct. My very first post mentions that distance learning would be his best bet and in my subsequent posts give examples of why.

To recap- not only will he face difficulty and a bunch of red tape with education there in Italy, he will face difficulty when he returns for being a foreign trained nurse and have another million hoops to jump through which may be worse than trying to attend nursing school there in Italy. I stand by my assertion that an online LPN-RN course through a US school is the best option and that is what you are saying as well.

The OP was asking about attending school in Italy, not working there. I have provided links for information on both from consular websites. I also provided links to schools with exchange programs in case he is interested- note none are for Nursing, rather for studies in ITALIAN.

I never said learning Italian on tape can prepare you for their language test, just that it is possible to learn it that way. It is not a hard language to learn at all. Speaking and writing a language can be quite different. The very best way to learn any language is to jump headfirst- go there and socialize.

So, from what I see, it would be best for him to go the online route and get a work visa (even if it is unskilled) so he can live there longer than 90 days as a US citizen.

I spoke to my aunt there in Italy and she says that the university system has been ever changing at a rapid pace with a complete overhaul in the last few years and still somewhat in a flux. Many kinks to be worked out still. It can be confusing for a citizen to navigate, never mind a foreigner. Their schooling is quite different than the US for everything, not just nursing.

She also said that in parts of Italy there is a high unemployment rate and something about having to already having a job there to get a work visa, and it is hard to get one once you arrive or can take a long period of time- she was talking too fast. Evidently when you plan on staying anywhere for more than a week or so the law says you must register with the local police and get permission, which would allow you to stay up to 90 days but most don't unless they are bringing in a car or furniture, etc. This is on top of the work visa. You also have to go again to get permission to leave once you do this. But she also said that they are not as tight about hiring foreigners without a visa and this is done frequently until an employee can secure the visa. She hires a lot of people on a seasonal basis for the harvests and it works out well. She said despite the high unemployment rate it can be hard to find enough people to work the harvests the past few years.

suzanne4, RN · Jan 20, 2008

Thanks for your understanding on this. Most of Europe is also under a hiring freeze for foreign nurses at this time. Unless they hold a passport from the EU, it is almost impossible to get a job in nursing there, jobs are required to go first to citizens first and then EU passport holders.

And with such a change in their educational system, it makes it hard for it to be evaluated against the US system and this is what is required for licensure here in the US.

It is very hard just to go to another state to complete training, when going to another country, they do not issue credits for something that they would require to be completed in their program.

The only way that they can guarantee that their credits and training would be accepted is to go for the distance learning program to bridge in the US. If attending school full-time, it is hard to work full-time.

Just because something is done in another country does not mean that it is legal and to even accept work while a visa is being processed leaves someone subject to being deported. I have to post what is legally done and the way that things should be. Students also seem to get investigated more frequently for visa issues lately and this would apply to them as well. Easier just to leave the country and then get another 90 day stamp in the passport if it comes down to it.

Best situation would be to complete school here, work as an LPN while completing school and then just fly over regularly to visit. Actually makes it easier on everyone involved and both can get their schooling completed at the same time. Cheap flights to Europe from the east coast and much higher pay here than what would be obtained there as an unskilled worker in the fields.