nursepacific

The state of new york doesn't require SSN numbers. I would think just a short distance to Conn or New Jersey would open up some possibilities.

I tried to call the California Nursing Board today to verify this, but I could not get through. I heard an interesting message about state budget cuts causing the BON to be closed on Fridays. holycrossnursing.com's website posts information about graduates of the Holy Cross School of Practical Nursing School in Cagayan De Oro Philippines being eligible sit for the NCLEX-PN exams in California, New Jersey, New York, Conneticut, and Arizona, and testimonials about actual passers. I will try later to verify the information.

In the past, California has allowed applicants to sit for the NCLEX-PN and granted licenses from the applicants who received their LPN/LVN education from the Philippines. I would suspect that most (maybe not all) state nursing boards would allow this as well. For internationally educated nurses that have a family member that can petition a visa for them, they will be able to become licensed and work in the United States.

I personally know a few Filipino nurses currently working as caregivers in Hong Kong right now that would love to be licensed in HK and work as nurses. I heard about a Canadian R.N. who wanted to be licensed in Hong Kong, and the nursing board told her that she needed and additional 100+ hours of nursing theory, but wouldn't tell her which classes she needed to take or if she took certain classes that she would meet the requirements. The salary mentioned in this post is completely off. Maids/Caregivers earn HK $7,500 to $10,000 ($1,000 to $1,250 USD) per month. Nurses in HK start around HK 20,000 per month which is about $2,500 USD per month. I wish someone working in a hospital in Hong Kong would comment on this post.

I would actually disagree. I believe that LPN graduates from the Philippines can and do take the NCLEX-PN. I know of a green card holder that went to school in CDO and passed the NCLEX-PN for California. The problem is that there are no visas available for LPN graduates, so for most students, it doesn't make sense to take the LPN course. However if the graduate has other means to a U.S. visa or already has a U.S. visa, it may make sense.

The New Hampshire Nursing Board requires the CGFNS process (credentials review, predictor exam, and english exam) for all foreign educated nurses. Unless your wife is an English major, I suspect she will need to study or take a class for the TOEFL/TWE&TSE. I did not see anything about a Philippine exam on the NH nursing board website, so your wife may not need to take it. She will need to take the AGNK exam through CGFNS. New Hampshire is pretty strict on taking the NCLEX. I believe you only have 3 tries and if unsuccessful, you will have to become licensed in another state.

The Philippine nursing boards are only held twice a year, the next exam after July is December. If I were you, I would have my wife quit her job immediately, and pay for the best exam prep possible until December. A intensive 6 month review is not unusual in the Philippines. Additionally, she may want to enroll in English classes, and driver's ed (if she hasn't already). I would contact the New Hampshire Nursing Boards, and also nursing boards from surrounding states. As some of the above posters mentioned, some states have different requirements. Another thing you would want to look at specificially is if the NH nursing board requires a local license to sit for the NCLEX. Some states are strict in that a foreign nurse must pass her country nursing exam before sitting for a license in that state. Good luck.

When I refer to foreigner, I am referring to someone such as the poster who wanted to leave their country and work in the United States. An EEOC complaint does not apply because the company would have to recruit U.S. workers first, and the OSC has juridiction for all complaints. Workers who originated from a different country or have parents from a different country, who are U.S. citizens by birth, naturalization, or are U.S. permanent residents, I would consider to be U.S. workers. In the above example, I have a lot of questions, but they don't belong on the international discussion board. This sounds like a dispute of U.S. resident workers.

The 1000+ figure is from myvisajobs.com (I do not support this website), which lists the employer name in addition the the number of visas they are requesting. Labor certifications mean that the companies are requesting employees, not necessarily hiring them. There were only 100+ h1b visas issued for nurses for 2009, and I no knowledge currently of how many exactly were issued this year, but the 1000+ labor certification figure is a fact. And as far as connections, I do mean a having a relative in HR, or sibling of a DON. I don't condone the practice, but the spoils and patronage system happens everyday for foreign and U.S. workers alike. And I have never heard of an eeoc complaint for hiring a foreigner, it is usually the opposite. The complaint for a U.S. resident not being considered for a h1b visa job would be to the OSC (office of special counsel of department of justice) and not the EEOC. To qualify for an H1b visa, the employer will have to advertise a position for 2-3 weeks in 3 different media outlets. He will have to interview all prospective employees and find actual reasons not the hire the U.S. workers. One reason that employers are not facing OSC complaints is because they are hiring foreign workers WITH experience. If the us worker can prove that they are equally or more qualified, they have grounds for a complaint, which is one reason why it is rare for a inexperienced foreign nurse to land a h1b in the first place. I agree that it is good for the economy to hire us workers, but unfortunately it is sometimes bad business to do so. Florida Hospital in Florida, one of the largest h1b visa employer estimates that it costs $54,000 to train a new nurse for critical care. Hire a foreign nurse with 10 years experience in critical care for a starting salary sounds like a good deal (even considering fees).

I agree with ghillbert. Hospitals for fy2010 have over 1000 labor certifications stating that they can not fill available positions (usually in critical care). I believe that many hospitals are facing budget constraints, and do not wish to invest in new grads. For that reason, foreign nurses with experience are still being hired. If a foreign new grad has certain connections, I think it is theoretically possible to be hired, but for the reasons that ginger's mom stated it would still be ALMOST impossible. I don't understand what is confusing about that.

You won't be denied the visa due to a pending immigrant visa, but you may be breaking a contract. Many nurses are currently in Canada or other countries trying to wait out retrogression.

If your fiance is flying jets, how often will he be in beijing. I would agree with other posters that I don't think you can work in China unless you take their nursing exam. I would check out Saipan, Guam, Marshall Islands (Kwajalein), or Singapore if you would like to practice close by.

If you passed the FPGEE and TOEFL, and the recruitment agency has approved contracts with the POEA, I would go for it. Prepare for 1000-1500 hours at a low salary, but after finishing the hours and passing the NAPLEX, you will be set.

So what happens if you are able to take and pass the NCLEX and are licensed by the CABON? Will you be able to endorse your license to Indiana? I would make sure you check the rules of Indiana BON about license endorsement in your particular situation.

I actually didn't understand the question. Is is possible to immigrate to the U.S. without a sponsor? No. It is possible to immigrate to the U.S. without a recruitment agency? Yes. It is likely? No. A EB3 or H1B visa will need a sponsoring employer who will have to file a labor certification and a petition on your behalf. Due to new Philippine POEA regulations, direct hire employers are limited to 5-10 hires and must post a bond covering medical, wages, and repatriation. I doubt most hospitals would go through the hassle unless you were physically working in the facility for OPT after U.S. graduation, and even then they would still probably want you to go through a recruitment agency.