Why do so many nurses from the Philippines come to Canada/USA?

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Mar 16, 2011

If I were you I would prepare myself for much flaming.

Here is my two cents: Why does it matter ? and Everyone should be afforded the same opportunities no matter what their race of culture is. You may not intend on coming off in a negative way but your post did. Hopefully you will get the answers you seek.

denicu · Mar 16, 2011

Most people and that include nurses move to other places for better opportunities-plain and simple. The same reason also applies to nurses in the US who move to better paying areas, but if you really want to find out why then ask them.

lilaclover · Mar 16, 2011

If I were you I would prepare myself for much flaming.
Here is my two cents: Why does it matter ? and Everyone should be afforded the same opportunities no matter what their race of culture is. You may not intend on coming off in a negative way but your post did. Hopefully you will get the answers you seek.

It doesn't matter at all. I don't care about race, that has nothing to do with it. I said nothing about race and frankly I really like working with all of the Phillipino nurses I have worked with. I am just curious as to what the draw is for them to North America?

The reason I have never asked this question before despite my curiosity is for the exact reason you just brought up. People always bring up the race thing. If I had asked why do so many nurses from England(not the case) move here nobody would flinch.

But I am going to let my curiosity get the better of me and hope for some honest responses.

SNIXRN · Mar 16, 2011

Hey,

I dont think she meant it at all in a negative way, and it doesn't matter why people are coming over to the US or Canada - she is just curious. I guess I have asked myself the same question. Are work conditions harsh where he/she come from? Is there an excess of nurses? What is motivating foreign nurses to move to another country?

lilaclover · Mar 16, 2011

Most people and that include nurses move to other places for better opportunities-plain and simple. The same reason also applies to nurses in the US who move to better paying areas, but if you really want to find out why then ask them.

So is it about pay then? Does nursing pay a lot more in Canada? How much more?

vickybabymama · Mar 16, 2011

Filipinos in general are a very hospitable and caring people, which I think makes us inherently drawn to the nursing profession. Nursing seems to "run in the family" as several of my relatives, including my mom, are all nurses. I think you will find that to be true in many Filipino families. Also, we are professional, proud, and we speak English well! I know that back in the 1970's-80's, many hospitals in the US were recruiting heavily in the Philippines for those very reasons. In fact, that is how my mom came to live in the States. I've heard that Filipino nurses tend to practice "by the book" and follow policy to the T. These are all reasons why Filipinos contribute greatly to the nursing profession and why we love being nurses!

vickybabymama · Mar 16, 2011

Okay, one more thought on pay-- the Philippines is still a poor country. Many people come to Canada/US for the opportunity of working and then sending money back home to their families.

lilaclover · Mar 16, 2011

Filipinos in general are a very hospitable and caring people, which I think makes us inherently drawn to the nursing profession. Nursing seems to "run in the family" as several of my relatives, including my mom, are all nurses. I think you will find that to be true in many Filipino families. Also, we are professional, proud, and we speak English well! I know that back in the 1970's-80's, many hospitals in the US were recruiting heavily in the Philippines for those very reasons. In fact, that is how my mom came to live in the States. I've heard that Filipino nurses tend to practice "by the book" and follow policy to the T. These are all reasons why Filipinos contribute greatly to the nursing profession and why we love being nurses!

Thank you fro your response! I am glad to hear an answer from a Filipino ( sorry if I spelt that wrong earlier) nurse. Everything you have said above I have found to be very true. Definitely some of the most caring nurses I have met :)

Orange Tree · Mar 16, 2011

There are only two who I work with and they both send money home to their families.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Mar 16, 2011

i had a conversation with my husband about this very topic!

if you are an american, i can understand the gist of this question. how can certain segments of foreigners just up and move to another country in such large numbers? isn't it difficult to do, emotionally-speaking?

we, as americans, don't understand it because--unless we are immigrants ourselves--we don't move!

http://pewsocialtrends.org/2008/12/17/who-moves-who-stays-put-wheres-home/

a new pew social & demographic trends survey finds that most americans have moved to a new community at least once in their lives, although a notable number-nearly four-in-ten-have never left the place in which they were born[color=#426983]1.

that's 40% of americans have never moved from their hometowns. ever.

my in-laws came here from a western european country, and, considering they've lived in only two cities their entire lives (here and there), i told my husband, "wow, that was a big change for them to make, seeing as they didn't like change that much!"

his response: "no it wasn't. a lot of people during that time in [their home country] were coming to the us. it was no big deal, really, like it is to us."

in my opinion, if an entire culture sees emigration as a norm, it will happen often and in large numbers, often to a single country or even to one geographic area in a single country. americans moving to another country to live is not a norm, so it may seem odd to us.

agldragonRN · Mar 16, 2011

i hope nobody takes offense to this question because i certainly don't mean it in any negative way.
i am just wondering why so many nurses from the philippines are coming to canada and the usa? i always thought the philippines was supposed to be a beautiful place? why does it seem everyone wants to leave it? it seems to be the most common country to see foreign nurses from here in canada (west coast). why don't they want to stay in their home country? i love visiting other countries but i don't think i would want to go through the hassle of permanantly relocating to another country. i know i am probably being really naive here but i have always been curious about this. here in vancouver bc i think i work with more phillipino nurses than fellow canadians. frankly its kinda sad considering how many canadians are out of work...

why are so many people here on allnurses always asking this? what's next? why are there so many black nurses? why are there so many hispanics nurses? back in the days when we had the "nursing shortage", the u.s. government were begging filipino nurses to come to america. they automatically got "green cards" instantly including their families. that's how my mom and several of my aunts got here. and now that there is no more nursing shortage, you want to kick them to the curb?

why is it sad that you work more with filipino nurses than your fellow canadians? is it the filipino nurses fault that many canadians are out of work? how do you know they are not canadian citizens already?

these filipino nurses enter your country legally and your board of nursing issued these nurses licenses, so what is the problem?