2 Portuguese Nurses want to work in the US

suzanne4, RN · Nov 8, 2004

We are 2 nurses from Portugal. We have been contacted by a human resourse conpany that is recruiting nurses to work in the usa. We will take the TOEFL In decembre and the CGFNS in July. and we expect to be in the Us, one year form now. What we would like to know, how can we be sure that the company that is hiring us can be trusted, because i heard about companies recruting nurses with ilegal visas. Another thing we would like to know is what are the finctions of a RN, and the average RN rates, mostly on the new england region, and california.
Thank you all.

First of all, if you are just beginning the process now, there is now way that you will be in the US in one year. You need to take the Test of Spoken English as well as TOEFL. CGFNS exam is not needed for most states, but NCLEX is required of all nurses no matter where you go to work. There is no such thing as a temporary work permit for a nurse to come to the US anymore, only green cards. If you take the CGFNS exam in July, you will not have results until at least Spetember, and that would be by computer only. You need to have a Visa Screen Certificate in hand when you go to your appointment at the US Embassy. It takes roughly four months for any foreign nurses to receive these, and you must also have the NCLEX exam completed before you begin work.

California will take you more than two years, there is no quick way around it.

You are dealing with an HR agency, so do not expect to get paid more than $20 per hour no matter where you are.

If you are really determined to come to the US to work, do the work on your own, and you will be in much better shape. What is the name of the company that is trying to recruit you? Have you actually signed a contract with them? What are they offering you?

If you have any more questions, please do not be afraid to ask.

Rep · Nov 8, 2004

Also conduct a background search of the company offering you jobs. With the help of the internet, this is possible. As Suzanne said, the only and surest way to go the US is through an immigrant visa. Also depends on what state you will be working for, if you opt in the eastern part of the US, then it is possible to be there in a year time considering visa processing (Vermont Service Center) there is fast. If in the west coast, it is most likely between two to three years.

Effe · Nov 8, 2004

HI Suzanne, thank you for you reply, you might prevent us to getting into trouble.

We haven´t signed anything yet. What the company told us sound too good to be true, so that's why I'm here searching for some information.

They told us that we only had to do the TEOFL, and then the CGNFS before signing a contract with an US hospital. Once we where there we would have a kind of probation of three months and we would take the NCLEX. They also said that we would been offered an apartment to live in for free.

About the green card, they said that US goverment distribute some to hospitals. And the hospitals are free to give them to certificate forenign nurses.

We really want to go there, how can we do it on our own?

best regards,

Fernando.

suzanne4, RN · Nov 9, 2004

HI Suzanne, thank you for you reply, you might prevent us to getting into trouble.
We haven´t signed anything yet. What the company told us sound too good to be true, so that's why I'm here searching for some information.
They told us that we only had to do the TEOFL, and then the CGNFS before signing a contract with an US hospital. Once we where there we would have a kind of probation of three months and we would take the NCLEX. They also said that we would been offered an apartment to live in for free.
About the green card, they said that US goverment distribute some to hospitals. And the hospitals are free to give them to certificate forenign nurses.
We really want to go there, how can we do it on our own?
best regards,
Fernando.

Stay away from that company. What they are talking about having you do is completely illegal. There are no temporary work permits available for nurses anymore, you must have a green card to work. Hospitals do not and cannot distribute green cards, they are only issued by the US Government after the nurse meets the requirements and has a meeting face to face at the US Embassy. You need to have either TOEFL, TWE, and TSE or the IELTS series in the academic branch with the speaking section, as well as either NCLEX or the CGFNS exam to even meet the requirements for the Visa Screen Certificate.

The information that they are giving you is based on the old rules that are no longer even an option, when H1-B visas were still available to nurses and they are not.

I am sorry but that company has no idea of what they are even talking about.

You cannot work in the US with only a CGFNS certificate, you need the NCLEX exam. There are a few states that will issue you a temporary license with only CGFNS and English, but you still need a visa that permits you to work legally in the US. And if they say that they are going to send you over on a student visa and then change your status, watch out. You need to have the Visa Screen Certificate in hand to do that, and that takes about four months to recieve after you have completed and passed your exams.

Hope that this opens your eyes.

Good luck to you...................if you want to come to the US as a nurse, do it the legal and right way the first time, and save yourself much grief. :rotfl:

suzanne4, RN · Nov 9, 2004

HI Suzanne, thank you for you reply, you might prevent us to getting into trouble.
We haven´t signed anything yet. What the company told us sound too good to be true, so that's why I'm here searching for some information.
They told us that we only had to do the TEOFL, and then the CGNFS before signing a contract with an US hospital. Once we where there we would have a kind of probation of three months and we would take the NCLEX. They also said that we would been offered an apartment to live in for free.
About the green card, they said that US goverment distribute some to hospitals. And the hospitals are free to give them to certificate forenign nurses.
We really want to go there, how can we do it on our own?
best regards,
Fernando.

There are a couple of postsof mine at the very top of the page that will give you all of the info that you need. Fastest time for getting a license in the US as well as the actual hard license for a foreign nurse, is probably NY, as it is also very fast to get processed there for a green card. You actually do not need to even take the CGFNS exam, would recommend that you only take NCLEX and the IELTS series. That will cover you for almsot every state.

Good luck............... :balloons:

Effe · Nov 10, 2004

There are a couple of postsof mine at the very top of the page that will give you all of the info that you need. Fastest time for getting a license in the US as well as the actual hard license for a foreign nurse, is probably NY, as it is also very fast to get processed there for a green card. You actually do not need to even take the CGFNS exam, would recommend that you only take NCLEX and the IELTS series. That will cover you for almsot every state.
Good luck............... :balloons:

Thank you Suzanne, i'll start working in the procedure as fast as possible! :balloons:

adelle · Nov 10, 2004

Olá! Eu gosto muito de Portugal! I've heard that in San Francisco and LA you can make about $35/hr +, but it all depends. Check http://www.salary.com for more area specific pay rates. I hope you guys don't get caught up in any scams. Boa sorte!

Effe · Nov 11, 2004

Olá! Eu gosto muito de Portugal! I've heard that in San Francisco and LA you can make about $35/hr +, but it all depends. Check http://www.salary.com for more area specific pay rates. I hope you guys don't get caught up in any scams. Boa sorte!

Hi Adelle,

It's allways good to hear nice things about our country.

"Obrigado" for the link. I would love to live in San Francisco, as well in anywhere in CA. They say that the weather there is similar with Portugal. I hope this isn't a scam, or else i find it very difficult to go there. :crying2:

suzanne4, RN · Nov 11, 2004

Hi Adelle,
It's allways good to hear nice things about our country.
"Obrigado" for the link. I would love to live in San Francisco, as well in anywhere in CA. They say that the weather there is similar with Portugal. I hope this isn't a scam, or else i find it very difficult to go there.

California will take you minimum of two years before you would have the proper documents for working there. What you quoted above about just the TOEFL and CGFNS was when they were still issuing H1-B visas, and before the Visa Screen Certificate was needed. The company that you are speaking with is either still trying to operate on information that is over one year old, or they are running a big scam. No way around it. The US has very strict laws in place now, and if you try to go around them and get caught, then you will be barred from working as a nurse here. Much better to do it the proper way the firs time.

California takes the longest for any foreign nurse, there are so many who wish to emigrate there, that they are just very backed up in the offices for immigration.

Go to http://www.visapro.com and look at processing times in the lower left hand corner and you will get an idea of what I am talking about.

Just do it the safe and legal way............ :balloons: