student visa programs that offer the Master's degree

suzanne4, RN · Jun 26, 2008

Suzanne,have you heard of agencies offering to get foreign nurses a "student visa" to US? The agreement says that we have to enroll ourselves in a masteral program while we work for 20 hours/week.. What do you think about this whole "student visa? thing?

I do not like them as not all get approved to work while they are in school, that requires approval from the US government and is not an automatic thing that one can work as soon as they arrive in the US. It is months before they can begin to work legally.

These programs are nothing but a way to get around the immigration requirements here and it does not take anyone four years to get the MSN, unless they are going it one class at a time. And to get the student visa, it requires that one is enrolled in school full-time so not more than two years maximum to get the training. And then because of the type of visa, they are having to leave the US as there is no adjustment going on now and they also are required to leave the US for two years in most cases.

I have never liked them since they started and never will like them, but that is my opinion on them and one that I am sticking to.

Proverbs 16:3 · Jun 27, 2008

That's the first i've heard. But now that i think of it, you can do CPT when in school. CPT is pretty easy to get because your school issues you a new i-20 with the cpt authorization on the back and all you have to do is show it to the employer. Although you have to have an employer before the cpt is issued because the employers name is typed in the back and you can work for them, and them only.

The thing is i haven't heard of anyone doing cpt at the masters level, but then again, all the MSN students i know are americans so i don't know if any school will authorize someone to do cpt.

I think it's dangerous for these agencies to do that. And if you only work 20hr/week, aren't you gonna use the same money to pay for your masters tuition? do you make any profit in the end? is it really worth the hassle? I was forced to take an economics course as requirement of my nursing program and i while i thought it was stupid at the time, think of the cost + benefits. And when i say cost, i mean direct costs and opportunity costs.

I was chatting to a nurse recruiter 2 days ago about one of the states BON and she said she recruits foreign nurses except she's so tired of dealing with the board she's told them to apply via a different state. I didn't ask her if she was currently hiring foreign nurses but i think she might be. The one problem she mentioned is that she has some nurses who've spent a year waiting for licensure from the state.

Instead of going through an agency in this wierd way, why not contact hospitals that offer work visas and work through them in a more legal way. I'm not saying this is illegal because they've obviously found a loophole go through but Just to be on the safe side .

best wishes and take care

suzanne4, RN · Jun 27, 2008

CPT is also not issued as soon as the foreign student arrives in the US, and that is one thing that is being promised; that they will begin work right away. And the CPT has certain restrictions with it as well.

Master's programs are also not four years to complete, far from that. CPT can be issued with the MSN as well as the other degrees but again, there are strict requirements with this. And 20 hours per week for 4 years is not going to cover expenses in most cases.

Too many holes in these programs to get my approval, have not seen one that has met my requirements.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 27, 2008

Just a caution to add to the above:

There is an investigation going on now by the US State Dept and they are reviewing the H1-B visas in all instances. There has been documentation that they are investigating and that is the number of visas that went to those that were not specialists, and that is what the visa was designed for. Only about 11% did.

So expect some major changes to come about and soon with this visa.

The temporary visas are just that and there are limits as to how long the person can remain in the US on those visas, for the H1-B it is actually about six years and then the person is required to leave the US. They are also investigating this now as there are many that did not leave.

Not a good thing to even be considering at this time. Do not expect the training programs that are offering the H1-B to be able to get around this as they are definitely not specialists in the area, if they are just getting new grad basic training. That does not meet the major requirement for this type of visa.

Proverbs 16:3 · Jun 28, 2008

The only requirement for CPT is that the person needs to complete at least 1 semester before they can qualify and also, your school has to give credit for that. Drexel has the co-op program where student get cpt and get credit. That's the only way a person get cpt in that school. I have a friend who just graduated from a univ. in texas and she was doing cpt way before i knew it. Her school doesn't have a co-op program but i'm sure they found a way to give her credit for the cpt.

Like the other poster said, don't expect to come and jump right into working. Even after completing your semester, you have to find a job before they can issue you the cpt. Getting the cpt isn't hard if you've met the requirements and have something(usually a letter from the employer) to prove you're going to work at so and so hospitals blank hours per week. I also hope you have a SSN because they require proof before issuing you a number.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 28, 2008

And you just nailed it right on the head, they have to complete at least one semester of their program here, so that is just as I have been saying. One is never able to begin work as soon as they arrive in the US, it is months before then. And many of these so-called programs are telling them that they can begin to work right away and that is definitely not the case.

This is also a special program where they are being brought over by an agency, and not directly for the sole purpose of going to school; but to be working. This is just trying to get them around the requirements for immigration and something that I do not care for at all.

Promises keep getting made and they do not pan out most of the time. Many are told that they can begin work as soon as they arrive with these programs, and that is not the case at all.

pinkroyalty18, LPN, LVN · Jul 1, 2008

Thanks suzanne and proverbs! I will definitely share all the informations you mentioned here to my fellow nurses before they sign the contract..They all think they can work right away there in US..Looks like that agency is talking crap again...

suzanne4, RN · Jul 1, 2008

Not one person can work as soon as they get to the US unless they are already coming over on a green card and have been thru the immigration process completely; and already hold a document that will let them work and obtain a SSN#.

Any other visa and there is a wait involved and it can be significant. Even those that come over on the fiance visa have to wait months and have to go thru the wedding before they will be able to get the SSN# and begin to work.

This is why I have never liked any of them, promises are made that cannot be kept.

fjellgren · Jul 1, 2008

hi suzie...where did you find about this news regarding H1B visas? thanks...

suzanne4, RN · Jul 1, 2008

It has been in the news all over the place here recently.

And you can also check out the CNN website and then look for the Lou Dobb's show, more can be found on that.

Noticed from the Philippine forum that you were waiting for the H1-B visa, not sure how you are getting it or even why? Working in a nursing home is exactly one of the reasons that they are investigating these as well, they normally do not require the BSN as an entry level, far from it there as well as the fact that you are not a specialist if working there. Only 11% have gone to those that are actually specialists and that is why it was designed to be used originally as well.

They are trying to get things back to what they should be and not sure how or why your attorney would even file this for you.