Visa Screen Certificate is required by all foreign nurses wishing to obtain a green card to work in the US, as well as any type of temporary work permit, such as the Nafta TN Visa for those from Canada and Mexico.
It requires that you pass either the NCLEX-RN or the CGFNS exam, as well as the series of English exams if you are not exempt from them.
The CGFNS exam is only required now in about five states, and rumor is that one or two will be removed from that remaining list as well. Do not bother with that exam if you are not going to work in a state that does not require it, or you have no way to be able to take the NCLEX exam from where you are currently located.
The application for the VSC is now only good for one year.........please do not apply for it until you have passed at least one of the required exams, or you may need to pay an additional fee.
(This thread is replacing the original thread that was from more than 2 and 1/2 years ago, and has updated information.)
I completely agree..I'm also Canadian and completed all my schooling in the states, passed NCLEX and STILL had to do CGFNS. I think it's a complete scam and a waste of $540.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
What I'll never understand is CGFNS's process for the Visascreen. I am Canadian, have a BScN and passed the NCLEX. Why does my education need to be evaluated now? The NCLEX is the test of minimum competency, so clearly my degree prepared me, lol.
I completely agree..I'm also Canadian and completed all my schooling in the states, passed NCLEX and STILL had to do CGFNS. I think it's a complete scam and a waste of $540.
That may be the case however when a US nurse looks to moving to Canada and working they still have to meet the college requirements of the province which may result in the nurse having to do some form of assessment. Surely they can say the same thing that their NCLEX is a test of minimum competency. Same with immigration to Canada. CIC require certain things before agreeing to work visa or PR
CGFNS and visa screen is the US way of making sure that you meet the same requirements as a US trained nurse.
I guess that makes sense for nurses who may be educated in countries where education standards vary completely from USA/North America. But in the USA there are far more ADNs/Diplomas than BSNs - Canada has BSN now as entry to practice. So obviously my university degree means something, and the fact that I passed the NCLEX as well. States like MN and Michigan realize this when it comes to licensure - but yet we still have to follow the same process, seems a bit redundant.
For Canada, yes - since entry to practice is BSN there is a need for assessment now.
No educational institution in Canada would not live up to American standards, we have an extremely, well-respected education system in this country :)
I'm a nurse from Brazil, I'm living in Houston for the next 4 years, my husband is trainning at Baylor University. Because of that, he has H1b visa and I H-4 visa. We intend to change my visa status for one that allows me to work (the university offers him this possibility).
My question is, if I held a work visa (I don't know if will be a H or J visa), do I need to get the visascreen? And if yes, should I tich the CG or H1b?
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I think you only need vsc if you are the main applicant, if you are looking at work visa of your own you will require a vsc, doesn't matter which one you tick as far as I am aware
I didn't receive my CES yet, I have BSN in Brazil , but I don't know if they will give me a BSN degree here....
And the last question, I promisse....
Do you recomend some recruiter agency for nurses? Because I think it will be difficult for me to find a sponsor, I just graduate I don't have experience as a RN.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Even with an agency I think if you have no experience then you may find it hard to get a H1b as generally looked at as a specialist work visa and with current high unemployment with a lot of nurses having to move for work it means competition is hard
i have completed my bachelor's in nursing from india. I want to sit in the nclex examination for florida state.i want to know what are the requirements to appear in the examination and how can i apply.please help me out.thanks...
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
hi....
i have completed my bachelor's in nursing from india. I want to sit in the nclex examination for florida state.i want to know what are the requirements to appear in the examination and how can i apply.please help me out.thanks...
If you go to the Florida state nursing board, link can be found at the bottom of the page to US state boards of nursing and just follow instruction for International trained nurses. Also remember you are not applying for NCLEX but to be a licensed nurse, NCLEX is just a part of that application
vball369
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I completely agree..I'm also Canadian and completed all my schooling in the states, passed NCLEX and STILL had to do CGFNS. I think it's a complete scam and a waste of $540.