Published Feb 16, 2008
pi110
3 Posts
I'm a registered practical nurse in Ontario. I have been working the past five years fulltime on a locked dementia unit and want to move to New York city. I want to continue nursing there but dont know what to do or where to start! Can anyone help me or put me on the right path?
suzanne4, RN
26,410 Posts
Unfortunately there are not any visas available for practical nurses to come and work in the US. If you do not already have a green card in hand, then there are no visas available for you. There is not a shortage of this classification in the US, so they are not issuing visas that will permit you to work with this training.
You can continue on with your studies and get your RN and then there will not be any issues for you in obtaining at least a TN Visa, as we are under retrogression at this time, and there are no green cards available.
Moving your thread to the International forum where you can also find more on this very same topic.
Thanks for getting back to me. One more question, should i get my RN here or do it in the states? Any suggestions on what i should do? PS i dont have a greencard i'm just wondering were to start.
There are quite a few bridge programs that are available for you, and can be done in the US or where you are located.
The easiest would be for you to complete the ADN, and then go on for the BSN once you have started working.
Depending on where you are in Ontario, there are several programs available in Michigan as well as border towns in NY so that you may be able to commute to school, or go home frequently. Think that these programs will be faster for you to actually complete. I would check first with the community colleges and see which have programs that would meet your requirements.
Best of luck to you.
Thanks so much again! I will get started and look in to programs here and in New York.