Work in USA as an RN

Published

Hi, I took my NCLEX recently and thankfully I passed, I am based here in Canada, but it has always been my lifelong dream to work in USA as an RN. Now that I'm done with the NCLEX, can someone recommend a good agency/recruitment/employer to help nurses find an employment and work in the USA? Thank you!!!

What do you mean "based in Canada"? Are you a Canadian Citizen or a foreign student?

What do you mean "based in Canada"? Are you a Canadian Citizen or a foreign student?

Hi Fiona59, I'm a permanent resident here in Canada. i took my nursing degree in the Philippines, and we migrated here in Canada. I recently took the NCLEX got a passing mark. Now I'm looking for employers/recruiters to help me get a job in the States as an RN. So I need suggestions please :)

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Why did you migrate to Canada if the US was your dream?

Why did you migrate to Canada if the US was your dream?

Looks like she's a nursing tourist. The posting history shows requests on how to work in the UK. Somehow wound up in Canada and now it's the US.

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

There is no nursing shortage in the majority of the US. The few employers willing to forego the expenses and delays associated with work visa sponsorship are seeking highly specialized, experienced nurses for jobs that cannot be fulfilled by the current over surplus of US citizen & PR nurses. (Many areas have high unemployment of new grad & experienced nurses. Parts of CA nurse unemployment is as high as 48%)

Just curious, why become a PERMANENT resident of Canada if you never had intention of staying or settling in Canada?

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Obviously Canada was just a stepping stone. She didn't even write the CRNE.

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Do you even have recent work experience as an RN? H1B is a specialist visa where all costs are borne by the employer once proven there are no qualified US citizen/pr available for the position. Minimum BSN with usually 5+ years recent specialty experience (NICU , PICU , ICU, SICU , OR, vascular , emergency/trauma, etc)

The EB visas have 6+ year wait for those born in the Philippines. Very few employers willing to hold a job for that many years.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the Immigration forum

Being a PR of Canada makes no difference for working in the US and expect it to take several months to years depending on whether you find employer willing to pay $$$$ for H1b (you can not pay for it employer must cover all costs) or Immigrant visa which has a long wait (which for someone from the Philippines is PD of 2007 so several years wait)

while you passed the nclex, you do not have the legal right to work in the USA.Are conditions so awful in Canada that you wish to leave? Looks like you dream is not obtainable in the near future.

Hi Fiona59, I'm a permanent resident here in Canada. i took my nursing degree in the Philippines, and we migrated here in Canada. I recently took the NCLEX got a passing mark. Now I'm looking for employers/recruiters to help me get a job in the States as an RN. So I need suggestions please :)

A bit more information would help to understand your inquiries.

What state do you passed the NCLEX-RN in? That's the state you should concentrate then.

Will the state issue you the license without having to provide the BON with a valid SS# that's work authorized? If so, then, you're at least able to look for a US job. If not, there will be other hurdles to go thru.

Without having either a valid working SS# or proper working visa, I don't think any agency or hospital or non-hospital would want to deal with the issues of trying to place you, unless you have 1-2 years or more of paid hospital experience.

Is there a more preferred state you wish to grow yourself and family in?

You should know that any USA BON's will always require your BSN's course evaluations even after getting your RN license from one state. They may also require passing the English proficiency exam, in reading, writing and speaking.

Since each state has their own requirements that must be met in order to get licensed, it's not an automatic pass into another state to get licensed.

Assume you wish to work in CA, there's been only a handful of PH applicants that have been given a CA license since Nov. 2011, the date of the strict concurrency enforcement.

Some states also require a copy of your PH nursing license as part of the application process and without it, the application can be rejected.

With the above in mind, pick the one state you really wish to plant your roots in and see if you can meet that state's requirements, narrow down your states. If you don't meet that one desired state, then go to state B.

+ Join the Discussion