For those of you that are studying in the US under either an F-1 visa, or any other where you do not have permission to work, and will need to apply for a green card when you finish your schooling-----this is for you.
You must meet all of the requirements for immigration that a foreign-trained nurse does, the only exception that you have is that the English requirements are waived for you. You still need to submit the application and get a Visa Screen Certificate. This is offered by CGFNS and the application is available on their website, http://www.CGFNS.org. There is only one application available, whether you did your training in the US, or overseas.
You will still need to find an employer that will petition for your green card. You will still need to undergo a physical exam at a physician's office that is approved by USCIS an have verification of all titers and vaccinations. If you do not have verifiable proof of having had chicken pox, etc., you will need to have either a titer drawn, or receive the vaccination. Immigration is very strict now with this, they will no longer go on what you are verbally telling them.
Hope that this helps...............most of you will also be able to get an OPT for one year of training while your documents are being processed, but you can only receive the OPT once, especially if this is now a second career for you, and you already used your OPT status for the other.
If you are coming to the US just for the MSN, and already have a BSN from overseas, you will be required to write the English exams. You are only exempt from them if this is your initial training as a nurse, meaning ADN or BSN only.
That is not correct, Suzanne. I am, being on F-1 visa, and still having 2 month left until graduation got several job offers from Hopistals that offered me sponsorship. I got those offers on the official letters directly from the hospitals from PA, NY, CA, and FL. I just had to pick where i want to go.
I am not sure, Suzanne, what is the reason for you to make the false statements?
I am telling it like it is, there are quite a few hospitals that do not know of the procedures for immigration, and refuse to get involved in it. You have been lucky, the majority write to me that they are having issues. Glad to hear that you are not.
Even out in CA, most facilities want to see passing of the NCLEX exam even for American RNs that are applying for a job. There have been too many issues with nurses not passing after they have been hired and having to get demoted. It is always much better to have the NCLEX xompleted and then the process can commence right away. Not all have the OPT available to them either. Best thing is to get the NCLEX done first, it is always easier.
And from a legal standpoint, they cannot make a job offer until you have the RN after your name as they need to have that to file a petition.
If you do not like what I post, do not read it. You are one person, and because some things worked for you, it has not worked for many here. I still stand by what I am saying, get the NCLEX done first, and then it is much easier.
But the biggest error that you just made, you are concerned with proof of the NCLEX exam, but what about the Visa Screen Certificate? You can submit the I-140 without it, but the I-485 requires the Visa Screen Certificate be submitted with that. And that is going to take you four weeks plus to get, if not even longer, since that does come from CGFNS. Florida will need to send proof of passing to ICHP for that Certificate.
I am telling it like it is, there are quite a few hospitals that do not know of the procedures for immigration, and refuse to get involved in it. You have been lucky, the majority write to me that they are having issues. Glad to hear that you are not.
Even out in CA, most facilities want to see passing of the NCLEX exam even for American RNs that are applying for a job. There have been too many issues with nurses not passing after they have been hired and having to get demoted. It is always much better to have the NCLEX xompleted and then the process can commence right away. Not all have the OPT available to them either. Best thing is to get the NCLEX done first, it is always easier.
And from a legal standpoint, they cannot make a job offer until you have the RN after your name as they need to have that to file a petition.
If you do not like what I post, do not read it. You are one person, and because some things worked for you, it has not worked for many here. I still stand by what I am saying, get the NCLEX done first, and then it is much easier.
Suzanne, that is not about the luck. My whole class exclusevely had a job lined up before our graduation date. Almost every BON offers a temperary license for a grad nurse. You can start working just right after the graduation. If you did not pass NCLEX, they warn them that they will put down the grad nurses to the CNA position until they pass the NCLEX.
As far as International grad nurses go, yes, no one hospital will sign the petition until NCLEX is passed. But the point is to get a job offer, hire an Immigration Attorney, have him/her contact the HR person and start the ball rolling. All my forms have been prepared by my attorney before my NCLEX. I have signed them, had Medical Examination done, started VS process. HR in my hospital had the prepared I-140 on their desk. And as soon as I passed NCLEX, they signed the form and mailed to my attorney overnight.
That is how it is supposed to be. If you wait until you passed NCLEX, you will lose time especially now when the quota is running out.
There is nothing as liking or disliking what you post in here. But your statement are a way too absolute. You cannot speak for the hospitals like "No one will even look at you if you have not NCLEX done" That is an absolutely false statement. I can list plenty of hospitals that even will pay all Immigration fees, and they will offer you a job before the NCLEX. The job offer is not a contract, and can be always revoken if there is NCLEX or work permit issue.
The hospitals I am talking about have very good reputation and well known in the world (not only in the US) . I'll skip the advertisement here.
What worked for you does not work for most here. There are many that have approached facilities and they do not even want to petition them, and do not do it. They have much better chance of passing the NCLEX before the go in. Also many do not have the OPT, and must get the NCLEX passed as soon as possible to remian in the country. Not one thing can be done without the NCLEX completed and RN after their name.
I am not going to split hairs over this with you, the majority of the nurses here have gone to school in anpther country and there are other issues invloved with that.
End of story from me on the topic.
I have been doing this since you were in elementary school, and I still stick by my statement that it is much better to get the RN first.
Guys i have a question if u guys can help me out.. i have a emplyer whos is willing ti file for me...i have evrything requierdd besides VSC.. today a new issue came up, emplyer is saying that they can not file for me cuz the deadline is approaching and my OPt will expire before i get my GC...my OPt expires on 7/31/07... so.. i dunno.. how to explain them... i told them that u can file for 140 and i can stay on EAD ..am i rite? pls do give me insight abt this situation... its too confusing.. and i have to hire my own attorney cuz it seems that this ppl dont knw anything...
Suzanne, that is not about the luck. My whole class exclusevely had a job lined up before our graduation date. Almost every BON offers a temperary license for a grad nurse. You can start working just right after the graduation. If you did not pass NCLEX, they warn them that they will put down the grad nurses to the CNA position until they pass the NCLEX.
As far as International grad nurses go, yes, no one hospital will sign the petition until NCLEX is passed. But the point is to get a job offer, hire an Immigration Attorney, have him/her contact the HR person and start the ball rolling. All my forms have been prepared by my attorney before my NCLEX. I have signed them, had Medical Examination done, started VS process. HR in my hospital had the prepared I-140 on their desk. And as soon as I passed NCLEX, they signed the form and mailed to my attorney overnight.
That is how it is supposed to be. If you wait until you passed NCLEX, you will lose time especially now when the quota is running out.
There is nothing as liking or disliking what you post in here. But your statement are a way too absolute. You cannot speak for the hospitals like "No one will even look at you if you have not NCLEX done" That is an absolutely false statement. I can list plenty of hospitals that even will pay all Immigration fees, and they will offer you a job before the NCLEX. The job offer is not a contract, and can be always revoken if there is NCLEX or work permit issue.
The hospitals I am talking about have very good reputation and well known in the world (not only in the US) . I'll skip the advertisement here.
Thanks
Hello Jein 33,
It sounds to me like you we recruited by HCA.... ??? they have just been bought out and who know what is coming down the pipeline for you. (just read the previous positings about the company)
As for the rest of your posting you have put many things in it that are just not accurate in them. You can't make generalized statements about what needs to be done for all international RN's, each case and situation must be dealt with on an individual basis. I can honestly tell you that the moderators on this forum have the best information available in the world..
As far as getting a job offer, the best recruiters will not get you four job offers at one time, reason being the HR directors and department managers time is valuable they are way to busy to just do interviews (or are you just play recruiters), and this will reflect back on the recruiter and their hospital clients. Hospitals will want to know why they are just sending out job offers and not getting hires. This makes it difficult for you fellow RN's that come behind you. They will recind any job offer if they find out your out shopping it. The time to look around with your recruiter is before the job offers, you need to your narrow search down to you first choice and submit your resume then wait to be interview. If they accept you and your happy with the offer accept it and go from there.
However saying that, I must say that the majority of hospitals will not interview prior to the candidate passing NCLEX, because the hospitals are well aware of the failure rates of at least 15% and more for foreign graduates. Many states no longer offer an interim permits, and most hospitals will not accept them.. Reason being they do not want to invest in you as and RN when there is still the risk of failure, and you must leave, not work as a CNA until you have passed. Why would someone want to waste their OPT time working as a CNA... it is far to valuable to do that!!! Hospitals want to see that you have passed NCLEX... that is a priority....
Yes.. an offer letter can be revoked at any time prior to your starting date, especially if you have not passed NCLEX. How embarassing to have to tell your future employer you failed... somes hospital will revoke the offer.. it is much better to pass and then get an offer. I have seen many future RNs hurt by that, and the must wait 45-90 days depending on the state. Only paperwork can be started, nothing can be filed until you pass the NCLEX exam. Why try to take short cuts??? that will just put added stress and cost on you??
Just a bit of information for you personally ... tact and diplomacy will take you a long way in life. However my observation of your attitude here is if you continue in this manner it will get you terminated at your job. It is not so much what you say but how you say it to others. Would you speak to your nursing supervisor in the same tone as the above posting? I found it rude...
Suzanne, that is not about the luck. My whole class exclusevely had a job lined up before our graduation date.
Same thing happened with my class - but how many in your class were/are international nurses? Of the four international nurses in my class - three are yet to find a job and the fourth - while orienting as a GN - still has to go through the same processes as the other three.
Almost every BON offers a temperary license for a grad nurse. You can start working just right after the graduation. If you did not pass NCLEX, they warn them that they will put down the grad nurses to the CNA position until they pass the NCLEX.
This is true - but it really is pointless.
Personally, I'd wait on the GN job, concentrate on the NCLEX. You have better chances of being hired with a license than without one. Try it -- call up 20 different hiring agencies today and pretend that you are a fresh grad international nurse without a license and see how fast they offer you a job.
As far as International grad nurses go, yes, no one hospital will sign the petition until NCLEX is passed. But the point is to get a job offer, hire an Immigration Attorney, have him/her contact the HR person and start the ball rolling. All my forms have been prepared by my attorney before my NCLEX. I have signed them, had Medical Examination done, started VS process. HR in my hospital had the prepared I-140 on their desk. And as soon as I passed NCLEX, they signed the form and mailed to my attorney overnight.
And if you read the 100 other posts here, you'll see that most international US graduates don't get jobs or offers right off the bat. You can see many examples in this thread itself.
You're entire argument is based on your experiences from your school. It IS good fortune that your school has connections that do so - most schools don't. I know mine didn't...
That is how it is supposed to be. If you wait until you passed NCLEX, you will lose time especially now when the quota is running out.
I don't think she's saying "you shouldn't do this". She's simply saying - "you have a better chance once you pass your NCLEX". What if you DO have your GN but because you were busy with orientation and or the job, you flop the NCLEX? Then what? How big a time loss would that be? No RN, No Green Card - right?
There is nothing as liking or disliking what you post in here. But your statement are a way too absolute. You cannot speak for the hospitals like "No one will even look at you if you have not NCLEX done" That is an absolutely false statement. I can list plenty of hospitals that even will pay all Immigration fees, and they will offer you a job before the NCLEX. The job offer is not a contract, and can be always revoken if there is NCLEX or work permit issue.
Again, that's not the point. You misunderstood her argument - she said the same things to me and I took it to mean "Well, you'll get offers. But you're better off getting your NCLEX done. More avenues open up for you then and you have a more stable base in the longer run".
I'm not saying "You're completely wrong". It worked for you. Congratulations.
But please remember that she has been doing this for years on end. She doesn't pull ideas and numbers out of thin air. She has zero need to devote the amount of time and energy towards this endeavour - she doesn't have to do this. She isn't being compensated in anyway or form.
So, why would she "make the false statements?" :)
Please realise, I'm not being argumentitive. Just trying to point out that you might be missing the larger picture.
It sounds to me like you we recruited by HCA.... ??? they have just been bought out and who know what is coming down the pipeline for you. (just read the previous positings about the company)
As for the rest of your posting you have put many things in it that are just not accurate in them. You can't make generalized statements about what needs to be done for all international RN's, each case and situation must be dealt with on an individual basis. I can honestly tell you that the moderators on this forum have the best information available in the world..
As far as getting a job offer, the best recruiters will not get you four job offers at one time, reason being the HR directors and department managers time is valuable they are way to busy to just do interviews (or are you just play recruiters), and this will reflect back on the recruiter and their hospital clients. Hospitals will want to know why they are just sending out job offers and not getting hires. This makes it difficult for you fellow RN's that come behind you. They will recind any job offer if they find out your out shopping it. The time to look around with your recruiter is before the job offers, you need to your narrow search down to you first choice and submit your resume then wait to be interview. If they accept you and your happy with the offer accept it and go from there.
However saying that, I must say that the majority of hospitals will not interview prior to the candidate passing NCLEX, because the hospitals are well aware of the failure rates of at least 15% and more for foreign graduates. Many states no longer offer an interim permits, and most hospitals will not accept them.. Reason being they do not want to invest in you as and RN when there is still the risk of failure, and you must leave, not work as a CNA until you have passed. Why would someone want to waste their OPT time working as a CNA... it is far to valuable to do that!!! Hospitals want to see that you have passed NCLEX... that is a priority....
Yes.. an offer letter can be revoked at any time prior to your starting date, especially if you have not passed NCLEX. How embarassing to have to tell your future employer you failed... somes hospital will revoke the offer.. it is much better to pass and then get an offer. I have seen many future RNs hurt by that, and the must wait 45-90 days depending on the state. Only paperwork can be started, nothing can be filed until you pass the NCLEX exam. Why try to take short cuts??? that will just put added stress and cost on you??
Just a bit of information for you personally ... tact and diplomacy will take you a long way in life. However my observation of your attitude here is if you continue in this manner it will get you terminated at your job. It is not so much what you say but how you say it to others. Would you speak to your nursing supervisor in the same tone as the above posting? I found it rude...
But the biggest error that you just made, you are concerned with proof of the NCLEX exam, but what about the Visa Screen Certificate? You can submit the I-140 without it, but the I-485 requires the Visa Screen Certificate be submitted with that. And that is going to take you four weeks plus to get, if not even longer, since that does come from CGFNS. Florida will need to send proof of passing to ICHP for that Certificate.
Several friends of mine have filed I-485 without Visa Screen and submitted it with the request.
suzanne4, RN
26,410 Posts
I am telling it like it is, there are quite a few hospitals that do not know of the procedures for immigration, and refuse to get involved in it. You have been lucky, the majority write to me that they are having issues. Glad to hear that you are not.
Even out in CA, most facilities want to see passing of the NCLEX exam even for American RNs that are applying for a job. There have been too many issues with nurses not passing after they have been hired and having to get demoted. It is always much better to have the NCLEX xompleted and then the process can commence right away. Not all have the OPT available to them either. Best thing is to get the NCLEX done first, it is always easier.
And from a legal standpoint, they cannot make a job offer until you have the RN after your name as they need to have that to file a petition.
If you do not like what I post, do not read it. You are one person, and because some things worked for you, it has not worked for many here. I still stand by what I am saying, get the NCLEX done first, and then it is much easier.