Hello, There are many ways a foreign nurse can enter the U.S. First level registered nurses may enter the U.S. on lawful permanent resident (LPR) or green card status. LPR status allows a nurse and his or her family to permanently enter the U.S. through a sponsor after meeting certain requirements. Generally, these include an evaluation of the nurse’s academic credentials and license by a designated credentialing organization (such as the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools - CGFNS) and successful completion of an English language proficiency test. Some registered nurses who have advanced practice certifications, management skills, or practice in a nursing specialty area may be able to enter the U.S. on the H1B Visa. The H1C Visa allows a nurse to enter on a temporary work visa for employment by hospitals or employers that are pre-qualified by the U.S. as having a special need for nurses that is greater than the general need across the country. However, this category is limited to only 500 nurses each year for the pre-qualified hospitals or health care facilities and so is restrictive. Those RNs who are already in the U.S. may now file for LPR status and receive work authorization within approximately 90 days of filing the I-140 petition and adjustment application based on a sponsor. In addition, each nurse must satisfy the requirements of the state board of nursing for the state in which s/he intends to practice. Additional criteria may vary on a state-by-state analysis. Hope this helps, Jacob S. American Immigration Services [email protected]
