Green Card for Registered Nurses
Are you a nurse who would like to practice your profession in the U.S.?
Are you a nurse intending to come to the United States and obtain a “green card”?
If “Yes” is your answer to the above questions, then this is essential reading for you! The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reported in 2010 that the U.S. will face a shortage of 260,000 nurses by 2025.
This means foreign-trained nurses will likely find many job opportunities in the U.S. Below, you will find the step-by-step procedure to make this a reality for you! First, you’ll be provided with a general overview of the steps and then a more detailed analysis of those steps, which require extra attention.
1: You need to take a screening test for English proficiency, register for IELTS training, and then take the exam.
2: Sign up for a U.S. recruiting company
3: Register and train for CGFNS5, then take the Exam;
4: Get NCLEX6 training;
5: Go through the Visa Screening process;
6: File for your green card;
7: Wait for green card approval;
8: Get placed for a job;
9: Go to the Embassy/Consulate for an interview;
10: Come to the U.S.;
11: Take the NCLEX/ RN Exam;
12: START WORKING AS A NURSE IN THE U.S.!
It will be valuable to have a clear picture (and a deeper understanding) of some of these steps, so please read the following carefully to ensure your pathway forward is as smooth as possible.
Suppose you are a nurse in a foreign country and intend to immigrate to the U.S. If required, you must pass the TOEFL exam conducted by IELTS. Visit their website to review what’s needed to pass this exam.
As Step #2 above conveys,
you must begin your search for a nursing position in the U.S. well before you apply for your visa. Job search engines are potentially valuable resources to assist you in securing a nursing job.
Regarding Step #3 above, it is the law that you must obtain a full and unrestricted license to practice as a nurse in the particular state in the U.S.
where you will be working as a nurse (for example, if you intend to work in California, you would need to obtain a California nursing license). As an alternative, you can provide certification that you have passed the examination administered by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) or evidence that you have passed the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. Still, you are unable to obtain a license because you do not have a Social Security Number.
Most States in the U.S. require that a foreign nurse pass the CGFNS exam before taking the state licensing exam, commonly referred to as the NCLEX exam. These states are as follows:
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
WHAT IS THE CGFNS?| Green Card for Registered Nurses
The CGFNS certifies foreign-educated nurses who want to work as RNs in the U.S.
The program has three parts to it:
1. They will review your background. You must prove that you graduated with a nursing degree and are a licensed nurse.;
2. You have to demonstrate that you’ve completed classes and have practical experience in:
Adult Medical/Surgical Nursing;
Maternal/Infant Nursing (Obstetrics);
Care of Children (Pediatrics);
Psychiatric/Mental Health.
3. You will be tested on your nursing knowledge (the CGFNS Exam).
PASSING THE CGFNS EXAM | Green Card for Registered Nurses
The certificate that the CGFNS issues demonstrates that the Registered Nurse has complied with the following:
- A credentials evaluation giving evidence that the RN’s education is the equivalent of an RN diploma or nursing degree from the U.S.;
- Proof that the Registered Nurse has passed the English language proficiency exam; and,
- Evidence that the applicant has managed to pass the CGFNS exam.
The primary goal of the CGFNS is to ensure that the nurse will be able to qualify for the requirements for U.S. licensure once they enter the U.S. If you have passed the NCLEX-RN, you don’t need the CGFNS certificate.
All registered nurses must meet the licensing requirements of the state where they plan to work. All intending foreign Registered Nurses should check with the condition that demonstrates intended employment to determine other special needs.
To work as a nurse in the U.S., however, it is not sufficient to simply have completed your nursing training abroad and passed the CGFNS Exam. As Step #4 above indicates, you must also take and pass the NCLEX, an exam that is described in more detail below.
WHAT IS THE NCLEX? | Green Card for Registered Nurses
The NCLEX is an exam for the licensing of nurses in the U.S. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN), which has board members from all over the U.S., administers this.
The NCSBN requires foreign nurses to take the NCLEX to ensure they have the skills to practice nursing safely in the U.S. Passing the NCLEX is REQUIRED for nurses who want to work in the U.S. You will be tested on:
- Safe Effective Care Environment:
○ Management of Care:
○ Safety and Infection Control. - Health Promotion and Maintenance;
- Psychosocial Integrity:
- Physiological Integrity:
○ Basic Care and Comfort:
○ Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies:
○ Reduction of Risk Potential:
○ Physiological Adaptation.
Applicants should review the NCLEX online training site and consider completing their training program. After passing the NCLEX, they can legally start working as a nurse for their hiring hospital or organization.
Regarding Step #5
Every applicant must fulfill the following visa screening requirements:
- You should have a diploma or a degree in Nursing from your home country;
- You should be licensed as a Registered Nurse in your home country;
- To work as a nurse in a U.S. state, you need a full license or proof of passing the NCLEX-RN.
- You should provide a credential evaluation of your education, giving evidence that your education is equivalent to that of an RN from the U.S.;
- Be ready to provide certified translations of documents that are not in English.
Regarding Step #6
Mentioned above, the “good news” is that the United States Department of Labor lists registered Nurses as “Shortage Occupations.”
Registered nurses can obtain green cards faster than most other professionals because they do not need labor certification, and the demand for nurses in the U.S. is very high.
Steps #7 and #8 above are waiting for your green card to get approved and placement for a nursing job within the state you wish to work.
The following steps (Steps #10 and #11) will require you to come to the U.S. and take the NCLEX/RN Exam.
As mentioned earlier, consider taking the NCLEX online training before the exam. Once you pass, you can start practicing as a nurse in your new position. CONGRATULATIONS!
CONCLUSION:
To start working as a nurse in the United States, you must follow specific steps to ensure you are trained, qualified, and knowledgeable in nursing. Some of these steps include testing and examination of essential aspects of nursing and health care. Permanent immigration for nurses falls under the EB3 category of the Visa Bulletin. Currently, the average time for a nurse to qualify for permanent residence may turn out to be a few years.
