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solutions
for RNs
Healthcare
organizations have some temporary working visa options for foreign
nurses. However, hiring a foreign nurse generally involves sponsoring
the nurse for permanent residence, commonly known as a "green
card".
TN Status for Canadians
TN
Status for Mexicans
H-1B
Visa
H-1C
Visa
Permanent
Residence (the "Green Card")
TN Status for Canadians
Under provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement ("NAFTA"),
nurses who are citizens of Canada may obtain US work authorization
in TN status. A job offer for a staff RN position is sufficient,
and the TN is only valid for employment with the sponsoring employer.
The TN is a temporary permit issued for one year, with no explicit
limit on the number of extensions. It may be obtained at the port-of-entry
upon entering the U.S. VisaScreen is not required.
For
detailed information, please download the following documents:
TN
Status Information
TN
Status Document Checklist
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TN Status for Mexicans
NAFTA also includes provisions for Mexican nurses. The requirements
and benefits for Mexican TN applicants are similar to those for
Canadians. However, prospective employers of Mexican TN nurses must
obtain an approved TN petition by filing with the U.S. Immigration
Service, a process identical to the H-1B process described below.
VisaScreen is not required.
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H-1B Visa
A foreign nurse may qualify for H-1B visa status only if the job
offered is one that requires a four-year degree. Although a candidate
may hold such a degree, INS believes that few nursing positions
require a 4-yr BSN. The H-1B visa petition must be filed with the
appropriate regional INS Service Center. The employer is required
to pay at least the prevailing wage, and to provide notice of the
terms of the proposed hire to other workers or the appropriate union
bargaining representative. The H-1B is available for a total of
six years, and is valid for employment only with the petitioning
facility. The government processing time for an H-1B visa petition
is 2 weeks - 3 months. VisaScreen is not required.
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H-1C Visa
The H-1C visa status is available to foreign RNs who are fully licensed
under state law to practice nursing in the state of intended employment.
The petitioning hospital must be located in a health professional
shortage area; must have at least 190 acute care beds; and must
have a certain percentage of patients eligible to receive state
medical assistance. Only 25 - 50 RNs per state [500 nationally]
are available annually. The H-1C work permit is available for a
total of three years. VisaScreen is not required.
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Permanent Residence (the "Green Card")
A facility may sponsor a foreign nurse for permanent residence if
the facility has a full-time permanent position available for a
professional nurse as a staff RN. In order to initiate the Green
Card process, the nurse must have passed the CGFNS exam or be fully
licensed to practice in the state of intended employment. VisaScreen
is required. As of June 2002, the process for permanent residency
is taking approximately 10 - 14 months to complete. However, if
a job candidate is in the US and has a license to practice in the
state of intended employment, it may be possible to get work authorization
within 6 - 8 months.
For
detailed information, please download the following documents:
Hiring
a Foreign Nurse: An Overview for Employers
Seeking
Employment in the US: An Overview for Foreign Nurses
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