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IML U.S. Requirements
Basic Requirements
To
work as a nurse in the United States, there are a few basic requirements. These
include:
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Graduation
from a 4-year general nursing program at an accredited school of
nursing. This program must be equivalent to a U.S. Bachelor of Nursing
Degree. |
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A current
nursing license in your home country |
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Two years of
acute-care experience in specialties such as intensive care (either
adult, pediatric or neo-natal), coronary care, medicine, surgery,
emergency room, general theatres, recovery and obstetric nursing. |
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A passing
grade on the qualifying exam of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign
Nursing Schools (CGFNS), http://www.cgfns.org |
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Must qualify
for U.S. Visa, e.g. no criminal record. |
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In addition,
immigrant healthcare workers must demonstrate competence in oral and
written English as shown by an appropriate score on one or more
nationally recognized tests. These tests are commercially available,
standardized assessments of English language proficiency.
Foreign-educated nurses applying to the VisaScreen™ program must satisfy
these requirements by choosing one of the following options: |
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Language Examination Options |
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Licensure & NCLEX Information
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Licensure |
To work as a
Registered Nurse in
the United States,
you must be licensed
in the state in
which you plan to
practice. Initial
licensure in a state
is awarded by
receiving a passing
grade on the
National Council
License Examination
for Registered
Nurses (NCLEX-RN®).
Once you pass the
NCLEX-RN and are
licensed in a state,
you may apply to
other states through
a process known as
endorsement.
The NCLEX-RN
The NCLEX-RN is
designed to make
sure that each nurse
has the knowledge to
practice safely at a
minimum of an
entry-level
registered nurse.
Many nursing schools
in other countries
have examinations
that are
knowledge-based,
testing you on the
facts you have
learned. The NCLEX-RN,
however, is an
application-based
examination.
The NCLEX-RN
examination,
administered via
Computerized
Adaptive Testing
(CAT), uses standard
NCLEX-RN-examination,
multiple-choice
questions. With CAT,
each candidate's
test is unique: It
is assembled
interactively as the
individual is
tested. As the
candidate answers
each question, the
computer calculates
a competence
estimate based on
all earlier answers.
CAT provides greater
measurement
efficiency, because
it administers only
those questions
which will offer the
best measurement of
the candidate's
competence. For more
information on the
NCLEX-RN visit the
National Council of
State Boards Web
site at
http://www.ncsbn.org
IML will assist in
your preparation for
the NCLEX-RN. The
review program will
be administered
through our review
partners in your
country. You should
not take this review
program lightly but
complete all
materials provided
to ensure adequate
practice.
When you are ready
to take the NCLEX-RN,
IML will fly you to
Saipan, Hong Kong or
the country closest
to the nurse, where
you will take the
exam. IML will also
pay for your
accommodations. You
should bring enough
money to pay for
food and other
incidentals.
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Visas
To work in the U.S.,
all citizens of
foreign countries
must obtain a visa
issued by the United
States Citizenship
and Immigration
Service (USCIS).
While this can be a
lengthy and complex
process, IML will
work hard to make it
as simple as
possible for you.
Our immigration
attorney will guide
you through every
stage of the
process.
The Green
Card
All nurses who come
to America to work
for an IML employer
enter the U.S. with
what is commonly
called the "Green
Card." Also known as
an Immigrant Visa or
EB-3 this allows you
to work in the U.S.
for as long as you
like as a permanent
resident of the
United States. Because of the large
number of people who
apply for a "Green
Card," the process
can take about
twelve to eighteen
months to complete.
The "Green Card" is
especially valuable
for married
applicants. IML
employers sponsor
the nurse for a
"Green Card," but
the nurse's spouse
and any unmarried
children under the
age of 21 will also
be automatically be
entitled to apply
for a "Green Card."
All "Green Card"
holders are legally
entitled to work in
the USA.
When you are ready
to take the NCLEX-RN,
IML will fly you to
Saipan, Hong Kong or
the country closest
to the nurse, where
you will take the
exam. IML will also
pay for your
accommodations. You
should bring enough
money to pay for
food and other
incidentals. |
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1. The First Step
USCIS must approve an
immigrant visa petition
(Form I-140, Petition for
Alien Worker) for the person
wishing to immigrate to the
United States. Pacific Rim
Nurses' client healthcare
facility acts as the sponsor
(or petitioner) for the
nurse (or beneficiary) who
wants to live and work on a
permanent basis in the
United States.
Note: U.S. immigration law
now requires that healthcare
professionals, other than
physicians, complete a
screening program in order
to qualify for certain
occupational visas.
VisaScreen,™ a program
offered by the International
Commission on Healthcare
Professions (ICHP, in
association with CGFNS),
enables healthcare
professionals to meet this
requirement by verifying and
evaluating their
credentials. This assures
compliance with the
government's minimum
eligibility standards
The time period to receive
the VisaScreen™ certificate
varies. Pacific Rim Nurses
recommends that you complete
an application at the same
time as your I-140, Petition
for Alien Worker, has been
filed with USCIS. You'll
need to present the
certificate when you go for
the final visa interview at
the consulate, so having it
in plenty of time before
your interview will help
relieve some of the stress
you'll naturally be feeling
at that point! |
2. The Second Step
Once the I-140 has
been submitted to USCIS,
approval can take three to
six months or longer.
Pacific Rim Nurses will
notify you when we receive
both the receipt and
approval notice from the
USCIS. |
3. The
Third Step
Several
weeks after the I-140 has
been approved, you'll
receive forms and
instructions from the
National Visa Center in New
Hampshire. It is important
that you respond immediately
to this mailing. Pacific Rim
Nurses will assist you with
the completion of these
final forms. Once the forms
have been submitted to the
consulate, you'll receive
instructions for obtaining
the medical exams and
fingerprinting that are
required for working in the
U.S.
Please keep in mind that the
waiting periods for all
these steps can vary greatly
from consulate to consulate. |
4. The Fourth Step
The fourth and final step is
the interview at the
consulate. The American
consulate in your country
will contact you and ask you
to come in for the
interview. We will give you
information on how this
interview is usually
conducted and will tell you
what questions you can
expect as well as what
documents to take with you.
When you receive your visa,
you will be ready to come to
the United States and begin
your new nursing career. |
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Working in the U.S.
Many internationally trained
nurses will tell you there
is no better way for
Registered Nurses to improve
their skills and
professional experience than
by working in a U.S.
hospital. You will have the
opportunity to work in a
fast-paced, acute-care
environment that will
challenge you to expand your
nursing practice.
Most U.S. hospitals schedule
their nurses for either five
eight-hour shifts per week
(usually 7:00 a.m. to 3:00
p.m., 3:00 p.m. to 11:00
p.m., or 11:00 p.m. to 7:00
a.m.), or three twelve-hour
shifts per week (usually
7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., or
7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.).
U.S. hospitals also have
their own policies with
regard to day, evening and
night shifts, as well as
weekend and holiday
assignments. Weekend and
holiday assignments are
generally shared by all
nurses, but hospitals do
hire for specific shifts:
day, evening or night.
You can expect your first
year of nursing in a U.S.
hospital to be an
extraordinary learning
experience. The environment
is fast paced, there are new
skills to learn and the
patient load can be
substantial. The experience
you gain during this year
will help you grow in your
nursing profession.
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Contract Terms |
Prior to your arrival in the
US, you will have already
signed your employment
agreement with our client
healthcare facility. The
average contract term with
IML client healthcare
facilities is twenty-four
months.
The twenty-four month
contract is perfect for
nurses who want the
opportunity to settle into a
community. It allows them to
settle down and establish
lasting friendships in their
work and social environments
and get a feel for how they
would like to progress in
their careers.
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Once You Are Here |
When you arrive in the
United States, a IML
representative will be there
to meet you. We will have
already made arrangements
for your transition to your
new hospital and community.
Your IML representative can
also assist you in setting
up a bank account and making
housing arrangements, if not
already confirmed.
We know that it can take
some time for you to feel
comfortable in your new
surroundings. That's why you
will be assigned a member of
the Pacific Rim Nurses team
to be your contact and
resource for questions you
might have.
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| Benefits & Salaries |
Salaries are based on the
prevailing wage for
registered nurses, as set by
the United States Department
of Labor (DOL). Your benefit
package includes medical
benefits, life insurance
paid time off and other
incentives that will be
discussed when you sign your
Pacific Rim Nurses contract.
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| Your Commitment to Us |
In return for the expenses
we pay and the assistance we
offer you in coming to the
United States, we ask that
you contract with us as an
employee of IML for two
years.
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