Tanya Freedman, CEO Connectics USA: Hello everyone and welcome. Welcome to our monthly Lefora talk show today. This is season three, episode six. Who would ever believe that the Lefora talk show has been running for three years? I can not believe it. We are pleased to welcome our expert panel of lawyers with us today. I'm your hostess, Tanya Friedman. I am the Chief Executive of Connectics USA and I am joined today by Holly. hello holly Warm welcome. And we also have Michelle with a beautiful background. Michelle, welcome.
Good morning Tomorrow Michelle Our topic today is the USA. license. How does US work. license work? So if you are an international nurse thinking about coming to the United States and you want to learn more about the US. Licensure, this is the show for you today. We will talk about many different topics. We're going to talk about the NCLEX, we're going to talk about application by exam, application by confirmation. What does that mean? We'll talk about click score, existing referrals, past verifications, credentials, temp permits, emergency permits, contact licenses, and lots of information available today. And we have our experienced legal team ready to share your hints and tips and answer your questions.
Before we begin I just want to say hello to the administration team at Lafora, Ms. Jean, Louise, Anna, James and Sister Juan. All to Paul from the Lefora administration team for doing such a fabulous job of nurses helping nurses. And that's what today is about. So today I say hello to Holly and Michelle. Let's start with introductions. Do you want to introduce yourself?
Secure. Hello, everyone. I'm Holly Muscle White. I have been a Registered Nurse for 22 years and have worked with international professionals throughout my career, have had some wonderful experiences that have certainly enriched my life as a nurse and I currently serve at Connetics as a Clinical Instructor. I work with nurses who are working on their NCLEX and I work with nurses who are preparing to come to the US and occasionally nurses who are here in the US adjusting to their first job here. As such, I appreciate any opportunity to help a nurse navigate all of these processes, and I look forward to sharing more about life insurance with you today. Thanks Holli.
And with us today is Michelle. Welcome Michelle Many Thanks. And imagine. Secure. Good morning Hello everyone in the different time zones. My name is Michelle Kilkenny. I am Senior Director of Immigration, Licensing Credentialing. I have been working with international nurses for over three decades and am an immigrant myself. I was actually lucky enough to get a Lottery Green Card over 30 years ago. And since then I've been working to bring nurses to America. Initially on H one A if you don't remember those, but in the old days they probably weren't born back then. And now, since '95, we're putting nurses on green cards. So I know immigration and licensing NCLEX and endorsements what we're going to talk about. And I can tell you I've been passionate about it since I started 33 years ago and I still feel the same passion. There is nothing quite like welcoming a nurse here and seeing her start her new life in America with her family and that still brings me joy. So thank you.
Well Catherine says it's a pleasure to meet you so thank you for joining us today Harley and Michelle. And like I said, if you're a nurse starting this journey and coming to the United States, you don't know where to start. If you're a nurse who's already started this journey and you're like, oh my god, I don't know how to do a licensed endorsement, I don't know about the Visa screen, I don't know about CES. This show is for you because this is free information designed to help you navigate the tricky roadmap of upcoming licensing in the United States. If you have any questions, please ask them in the chat. I have many questions that have already been sent to us, and we're going to jump right in and probe the brains of this team of licensing experts. The only one I was about to say is Ms. Jean. We wanted Mrs Jean from iPad to be with us today. Unfortunately, she couldn't make it for tonight's show. She is very busy. But she will join us on Future Joe. So give my regards to Ms. Jean, who I think these three heads are probably the best licensing experts in the United States. So I am very excited about this opportunity. All right, so let's get started.
Holly, let's start with you. Many nurses when looking at the path to success, and if you do not know the path to success, please go to theConnetics USA-Website and check out the path to success because this is kind of a roadmap to follow if you want to come to the United States. So first pass the NCLEX and then prepare for the interview. Then you have your visa framework when you come across oneGreen TN card.And number four is Licensure and Credentialing. So if you don't know where to start, sometimes the biggest barrier to entry is not understanding the terms e.g. B. what things mean.
So we have a graphic of the different terms you need to understand in relation to US approval. Can you explain these terms to us so everyone is on the same page and knows what we mean when we are talking about transferring NCLEX scores or licenses or emergency permits? Yes. So I'm going to go through each of these terms for you. When we talk about applications for admission, we are referring to the documents that are submitted to the state authority to which you are applying. So if you currently want to attend the NCLEX, you would apply to a state by exam or apply by exam. And that means, in most cases, that you still have to take your NCLEX exam and therefore need to get approval to do it. Applying by endorsement means that you have already passed the exam and obtained a US license. And hence, based on the original state you passed through or received from NCLEX, what we call an exam license or a home license. They now want to confirm that in another state to get a license in that second state. And more often than not, the license they get for international nurses isn't necessarily the license they will work with, as the states you work with as an international nurse often have enough differences in criteria that it's easier to pass your exam to do in a state. And if you then have an assignment or a job in another state, you go through the approval process.
Board or Board of Nursing is a term used although not every state calls it Board of Nursing. If you were to use this in google e.g. For example, at the Washington Board of Nursing, you could search for it and it would link to that state board of nursing or the regulatory agency that administers licenses for that state. Licensing itself means you are fully qualified to work in the United States as a registered nurse in a given state. We'll talk about compact licenses in a moment. Notarization on the licensing side refers to not talking about immigration at the moment. Certification relates to a review of your nursing education, and the intent is for each state to certify that your education is essentially the same as that of a US-trained registered nurse. would receive to qualify for the NCLEX exam.
So, what this credentialing process looks at, regardless of who is doing the credential checking for you, is how your credentials and nursing education compare to the requirements of that particular state in order for their nurses to be able to pass the exam or get licensed on endorsement? Even the exam is a national licensing exam that RNS and LPNs can take to get their first nursing license in the United States. As mentioned, the NCLEX is a national exam.
This means that each individual state has agreed to accept this particular exam as the one that the nurse can attain to meet US initial licensing requirements. It doesn't say the nurse is an expert in everything they should be, but it does say they have a baseline level of nursing competency that will enable them to provide safe, entry-level nursing in the United States and Hollywood to practice. That's me, sorry to interrupt you here, but just a quick question. If the nurse passes the NCLEX, she will never have to take the NCLEX again, as when moving from one state to another. So if you're moving from one state to another, you shouldn't have to take the NCLEX again. The only time I've ever seen a nurse possibly be asked to pick and click again was if they were going to lapse their qualifications. So if they don't maintain these, and we'll talk a little more about that in a later part of this section, but if they don't follow these requirements, that NCLEX path could actually become invalid in a certain state. And that, in turn, is why you should pay very close attention to what each state requires to sustain it. But overall, NCLEX doesn't expire. So it's nice that you get it in condition. And just because you're traveling from Florida to New York doesn't mean you have to do it again.
Thank God. OK Good. Thank you Harley Okay so let's finalize the terms and then we can move on to the NCLEX application process. Yes. So an inflex score transfer earlier on this slide I talked about an application through exam and your exam license. A score transfer may occur in cases where the international nurse was supposed to pass her NCLEX exam, but the state she passed may not have issued her a license at the time of passing. And each state has different rules in this regard. So if they don't pass I'm sorry if they pass but don't get a license issued if they pass NCLEX then with some boards there is an opportunity to take that NCLEX pass without being fully licensed afterwards and transfer the passport itself electronically from this state. They were allowed to transit to a state that will issue them a license. And the most common where we see this is like California.
For people who applied through California years ago, they passed and never got licensed. And they know the California body isn't the one they're going to work through or plan to work through first. So we can transfer that score from California to Illinois, who issue what's called an exam license, because they accept that transfer of the score, and then they issue the very first nurse's license, which we call an exam license. So that's short, the transfer of points, a path check is a bit different. Therefore, states often look to the date of admission, whether it is initial admission or confirmation, to verify where the nurse took classes.
Sometimes for me as a US trained and originally licensed registered nurse they might want to know where you got your NCELX through and can we validate that? There is an electronic system called Nurses that often allows us when they validate that original license or that exam license that the state that issued it actually recorded my information on my NCLEX exam. So it's happening behind the scenes. But occasionally the state board will ask that a form be filled out by the board you have been given permission to click through to the board you wish to consent to. That said, the permit or license to attempt to pass the review is something that will be unique to each state. Some states allow a nurse to obtain a temporary license where they can show some basic qualifications as part of the application.
Receive a temporary permit that you cannot transfer from one state to another. They can only practice in the state that issued this temporary permit. And most of the time, this temporary permit is only valid for 60 to 90 days. And occasionally we see a board that lasts 120 days. There are many authorities that will not issue a temporary residency permit to an international nurse. The reason is that they want to look again at those educational credentials and confirm that the nurse trained abroad, even with confirmation, has reached that equivalent level. So again, not every board says I'll give you a temp so you can work on the rest of the requirements. Some will. And it's nice for that. But remember, if you don't already know, some employers aren't very kind to temporary permits either, because if the permit expires before the nurse has completed all the requirements, they now have a nurse on board and they have you hope that the nurse gets this license. But if something happens and it's in front of them, it could pose a risk to the facility. As such, not every institution will be happy to work with someone while they are still awaiting a permanent license. Next is an emergency permit. So the most common emergency permits we've seen over the past few years have been due to COVID.
There were special laws that were enacted to allow state agencies to actually issue emergency permits or allow nurses to work. If they had a full US license in one state, they could work in another state in this emergency situation. Sometimes you had to file paperwork, sometimes your employer just needed to be able to see that you had a valid US license somewhere in a US state and that was all. So each individual state has different rules for emergency licensing as well. And when that's appropriate, when disasters happen, we often see laws being put in place to allow nurses to come and help in those situations.
So for example those of you who have dealt with typhoons or what we call hurricanes here in my part of the world when that happens and there is great devastation and there is a need for medical professionals. Sometimes the state goes through an expedited process to allow nurses to do this work as a registered nurse in the state without having to go through the full certification process. And Holly, we're watching that very closely because these contingency licenses are going to shift with the pandemic in flux, just before we talk about the compact license. I see we have a lot of questions from the chat. I wanted to answer some of these questions, and if you have any licensing questions for our panel of experts, please share them in chat. And I will try to answer as many questions as possible. So I see we've joined a lot of people from Cyril Leone, Ale Dee from Nigeria. Irish says hello. Catherine says hello.
We have a question from a Facebook user asking? Nice day. Any tips on contacting the Board of Illinois? I've been tracking my license for two months already. No replies to my email. I don't know if they already had my driver's license. Documents accept the password for verification because now everyone knows what the passport letter is. Statement of verification while awaiting Illinois official license.
Michelle, how would you answer the Illinois board of directors question? Yes, they can verify NCLEX. They do not need to have issued the license to qualify for a visa screen as long as they have a current license abroad. You only need a current license for the Visa screen. But Illinois, if you passed the NCAA to Illinois and submitted the application for the $50 for the actual license, it should be issued within two months, so there shouldn't be a delay there. Okay, and what should the Facebook user do if there is a delay? They should tell CGFNS via the assistant that they have anchored in Illinois. But CGFNS can't pull it by themselves because they need a license number to digitally pull it.
So they just have to follow up with Illinois and ask them to check this out. And how can they verify NCLEX? OK. There is also a phone number they can call. This is what we see with some of the nurses we already work with. I'm going to tell you meanwhile what we call the summertime all the kids are out of school and whatever but nurses have just graduated en masse in the United States. And the state authorities have seen a very large influx of applications from the US during the summer months because they are also trying to take over NCLEX. Sometimes this slows down their response times a bit more. However, we've been advised that even if you've emailed to actually call, it's ideal if you wait for a response. Unfortunately, government bodies for these types of international nurse applications are often paper-based, and as such there is no way to electronically check what part of the process they are in until they are issued. Yes.
So you can also try calling. And we know it's frustrating, but we have a semester at Connectics USA and follow-up at AMN Obsessive. That's it. You just have to keep following. Unfortunately, it can be very frustrating. Janetel is asking today as a bank she knows can I apply? What is the process? In a few minutes, Michelle will actually walk us through the NCLEX application process and what it entails. We have another question about Illinois. Illinois, obviously a very popular board, another issue is licensed from Illinois, has already been moved to Texas. If the temporary license is about to expire, can I just renew it to avoid repeating the license verification process?
Michelle, no, they won't renew your temporary license in Texas, but you need to find out why. I mean some of our nurses didn't pass the legal test or their foreign license wasn't checked and sent to the authorities. But Texas, they give you the four months. I believe in a temporary license, there should be enough time to get the permanent license through. So you need to check what exactly is missing and have it submitted. But they will not accept your submission. OK. Thank you Michelle
I see a lot of people tag their friends, so thanks for that. Please share this video with your friends. Tag your friends. The Lefora talk show is about nurses helping nurses. This is free information. This process is very confusing. They don't just deal with immigration. If you have questions about immigration, watch our monthly Up and Up show, which we put our immigration experts in, but the licensing page is just as confusing. Please share and tag your friends on this show because our experts are here to help you.
Okay, we have a lot of questions now, so I'll try to answer as many as I can. And Michelle and Holly will also guide us through the application and confirmation process. Mahut asks, I passed the NCLEX exam from the Texas Board last month but my license is not yet updated. What should I do? Treasure? So if you are in the Texas application process, yes if you pass the exam you should be issued with a license. We have seen with the nurses we work with that this takes a little longer. But again, as Michelle said in the previous question, is something missing? Is there anything they need to complete your file and issue the license? As such, I would also use phone calls, emails and messages through their system to seek clarification on whether you may be missing some of the criteria they needed to exhibit. But we also see a longer time lag between the NCLEX path and the issuance of this license.
Okay thanks. Here you go. My head, Cherry Lin asks, I recently passed my NCLEX exam in Texas. So far I have not received a letter from the nursing authority. Now that everyone knows what the bon means when you go through these terms minutely, and that I officially passed quick results, I'm sorry I didn't end up realizing that I officially passed these through quicken results i already seen what should i do Well, again, if you saw it by the quick results, I don't know how quick Texas will be broadcasting the actual NCSBN. I don't even know if they still ship this. But you'll get it, I don't think so either. So you should wait for your license to be issued.
You need to check with the Texas Board on the status of your actual application and make sure you might not miss the legal test or something simple that you just have to take for them to issue a license. OK. Thank you Michelle
And I'm going to answer a few more questions before we talk a little more about the NCLEX application process and the NFLEX confirmation process. Janet Hall asks, are Bangladeshi nurses eligible for the NCLEX exam? Treasure? So I have not personally worked with many Bangladeshi nurses. What I would say is that it may depend on whether your nursing education was similar to US nursing education. And so this process can be done in different ways. One way is to look at the state board laws and I'm going to talk about how many hours you need for each course or training, how many clinical hours you need in each of these segments. As is typical of international nurses, if you do not qualify to take the NCLEX, it is because most of the time your training has not been in some way essentially equivalent.
That's because there were only a few lessons in psychology, either on the classroom side or on the classroom and clinical experience side, meaning you went in and had rotation or maternity without your individual credentials with the requirements to compare the state board, it's difficult to say for sure. I've worked with Bangladeshi nurses before, but I haven't taken them through the process myself to know how they got there. Many Thanks. Darling, do you have anything to add to this question about Bangladeshi nurses? No, I agree with what you say. I feel like I've worked with Bangladeshi nurses before, but I still don't understand it in 30 years. But I will say that the only way to find out is to get this credentials report or check with your school. But you need hours in the five areas of nursing. So if you have completed theory and practice in the five branches of nursing, you should qualify.
OK, fabulous. Here we go. Janetel, Denise asks, do you know that CGFNS accepts OET from Visa screen? The short answer? Denise, our answer is yes. Please check out our shows. We've had two shows up and up in the last two weeks. Onwards and Upwards is a weekly Connetics USA show we host for international healthcare workers across the United States. And we had two very comprehensive shows last Friday and the Friday before that. Speaking of the new announcement for CGFNS, if you haven't seen these shows, please check them out. You can visit the Connetics USA website or the Connetics USA social channels and watch these broadcasts and find out about the OET and PST and PTE changes taking place on August 1 via the CGFNS.
Okay, Kylie asks, I passed my California Board Nursing entry years ago. Is it still valid? I don't get my social security. Michelle yes it is still valid. And you can't activate your California license because you don't have a social security number, but you can apply to another board. I would suggest that you apply to the Illinois Board via exam and have your results mailed from California and then get an Illinois license. But that requires and we'll talk about that in a moment. You need to get an Illinois eligibility report and then get your results there. So there is a process, but yes your NCLEX is safe. OK great. Colin, I'm sure that's a big sigh of relief for you.
And thanks for asking that question, because that's a very common question that we get from a lot of nurses who are shaking in their boots because they're like, oh my god, I carried my NCLEX around California years ago and maybe it is no longer valid. So the short answer is that it's still valid. Suleimay asks, is there something for medical technicians? Yes. Connectics USA and AMN. You say that Connetics is now part of the AMN family, and we are very proud of that. And we both have medtech positions. And we have a medical technology show coming our way, so watch out. Okay, Michelle, we're going to start talking a little bit about the NCLEX application process now. The difference between the NCLEX application and the NCLEX endorsement was explained very well.
So let's talk a little more about the NCLEX application. And we have a slide that really talks a little bit about the process and the requirements. So we're going to hang this graphic above the requirements. Can you explain these exam requirements to us? Of course. So the first thing you want to do is for your trip to the states, you need to pass NCLEX and as a step find out which board you want to apply to. You obviously get along, you are at different agencies or you are at Connetics, they will guide you and give you advice on which boards to apply to.
One thing I would suggest is to do your homework because you don't want to apply to a board that ends up not issuing a license if you pass NCLEX. And we have a lot of nurses who did the Florida Boards. It's a great board and you can pass NCLEX but you won't get a license because they need a social security number to issue the license. And again, the social security number, that's what you get when you come here on a visa.
We therefore recommend that you do your homework. There are many boards you can apply to. Some of the best I would think of would be Illinois, Michigan, Texas but there are many others but you don't want to apply somewhere that doesn't issue a license like Florida, Nevada, California. Well, you can no longer apply in California without a social, but there are several such states. So do your homework on the board you are applying to. They all have a fee and they vary widely and they are non-refundable.
So you have to think about how long it will take. When will you be ready to take NCLEX? You should be pursuing a degree program or preparing for NCLEX, but at the same time you can submit your NCLEX application to a board of directors and complete your transcript of records. So you decide on a board then for most you will need to request a credential report as there are many credentialing agencies out there. The main ones would of course be CGFNS, and after, like Joseph Silny and there are several others that are board endorsed, but there are hundreds out there.
So make sure the body you are applying to for the NCLEX accepts the agency you are using. Let's just say you apply to CGFNS. You request a CF report. I think it was only increased to 420 for this. And when you apply, you have to indicate which board you're taking and clicking through. For this reason, it is very important that you select the board first so that you can start your CES even before you start your varied application to the actual board. You just have to be sure which board you are applying for. CJ You need your high school diploma. Every nurse has to graduate from high school just so you know that to be an american nurse for american exam you need to graduate from high school. So you need your Abitur or Diploma. And that's very important because a lot of people don't have that. So you have to look for it. And then they need your nursing certificates or academic requirement form and they also need your foreign license verification. And I would include all licenses. So if you are in the middle east but from the. Philippines, you need to apply for your PRC, but no matter what country you are in, you need to apply for verification from there as well, which might be important later. Some boards want to know where you are licensed. Others just care about where you get your education.
So once again you need to do your homework there or work with the agency you work with. And then fingerprints, they require background checks. So many boards will have fingerprint cards. You must complete and submit your application. Social insurance. you don't have one So many boards have a social security affidavit that you basically notarize that I don't have social security, but if I have one I will provide it. knowledge of english While it may not be required for the board, many boards will accept it. If your CEO states on your transcript that you are educated in English using English textbooks, you are eligible to graduate from NCLEX in that state. However, you must keep in mind that once you pass NCLEX, you will need English to get the visa screen after that, as you need this visa screen certificate or the health worker certificate to get a visa to work in the United States Conditions. Although knowledge of English may not be required at this time, you will need it to get the visa screen. And then further education topics. Some boards want continues or CEUs as we call them here. And again these can be obtained. Whoever you're collaborating with can advise you on how to get them, but not everyone needs it.
There are a few things with exam applications. I assume we'll go through the map in a moment, but you can apply to the board. You request a CES report. It will be submitted to the board by whatever agency you have and the board will then authorize you to test. Once they make you eligible to test, you pay. Many Thanks. Pearson View, who administers the exam, you pay $200 to register with them. Once you register with them, they issue an ATT. Currently the ATPs are valid since COVID for six months before Covid. And maybe they'll change it again. We don't know until we're told. But they could become a 90-day window again. In fact, some boards have a one-year window. It's crazy that they're different, but they are. So you have to know your board.
But at the moment the minimum is six months. So you have a six month window and during those six months you have to schedule your test wherever you are. If you travel to America, there are no additional fees. But if you plan it, say in Manila, you pay $150 when you plan the actual test. If you are in the UK. London I believe is $180. Most of them cost $150, but there are some that are a little different. I think India is like 177 so you need to plan your test. And obviously once you have taken the test you will get the quick results within 48 hours and you have passed. And then it's exciting. You proceed with your immigration.
Well, depending on the board, like, if you've done the Illinois NCLEX well, once you pass, you have to wait until they send you an application for an actual license, which you then have to submit with $50 to get yours license issued. But if you're in Texas, they issue your license. I'm talking faster, but obviously, from the chat, maybe not as well. I know Michigan will issue it immediately. It just depends on the board. New York issues it, so there may be a wait. But you surely want that license because we'll talk about that soon. But the license is very important. Well, if you unfortunately fail, different boards have different rules. Some boards only allow you to join once and then you have to apply again. For others, such as Illinois, your application is valid for three years. You can take it as many times as you like during those three years. Hopefully it doesn't take that often, but you can repeat the test. You have to pay each time, but you have a three-year window. Michigan, I think there's a two-year window in which you can take the test. They used to limit it to three times, but now they just changed the rules.
And I think it's unlimited in Michigan too. But it's still within that two-year window and the application is still valid. Thank you Michelle This is a really comprehensive explanation of the NCLEX application process. It's very confusing for so many nurses so getting this guide is really important. Having these two licensing minds with us today is just so valuable and so helpful, I know, to so many nurses watching around the world today because it can feel really, really overwhelming, and really scary, and it's expensive . So you want to make sure you're taking the right steps in your NCLEX application process.
We have a question here, and we actually get this question a lot. This question has also been sent to me before, meaning hello, I'm about to take my NCLEX RN in upstate New York. If I pass the exam, can I seek validation outside of New York? Holly so you can seek assistance. New York, as Michelle mentioned, is one of those bodies that will issue a license if you pass. That's great.
They are also a body that requires two continuing education topics when registering for the exam. So one of the things to be aware of is that if you are supporting another state from an original New York state and the new state requires a credentialing evaluation, you may need to go through CGFNS to get that done there , where you were originally had New York evaluate your credentials. So just be prepared. You could, depending on where you end up working.
If you look at the endorsement requirements, see if they require a CES. If you've done the Visa screen with CGF and S at this point, remember that your transcripts are already stored, so you don't need to retrieve your transcripts again unless it's been more than four years. CGFNS will discard your electronic files if they are more than four years old unless you pay to have them stored at Step Yi. So yes you can. OK fine.
Here you go. You can transfer. And that's another thing, another issue of confusion, because a lot of nurses think if I do my NCLEX in New York, I have to work in New York. So the answer is no, you don't have to. And there are ways to make a confirmation. Lexi Bus has a question. I am currently in Qatar past the NCLEX through Vermont but not an active license due to social security. When I endorse my Illinois license to maintain an active license, is there a portion that asks Social Security, can I use a dummy number? If so, what is the dummy social security number? Michelle: I think there's an Illinois Social Security affidavit, so we can answer that again. But I have a question about Vermont. The question would be whether a license was issued and never active so it was issued or not a passport letter. I believe in Vermont they are issued but they just don't give you that it's not active if you know what I mean. And there are other states that you can apply to with an inactive license where they can issue a current one so you don't have to drive through Illinois. Yes, the other thing that matters is whether you just wanted an active license so you can support elsewhere. Vermont, when they get your social message, usually within 24, 48 hours, they flip it and hand it out. This is unique. Some states take a little longer once you've got social media up and running, so you can try supporting elsewhere first rather than waiting. But Vermont is pretty fast. Yes, we've definitely seen that Vermont is very efficient overall.
That's helpful because years ago when Michelle and I started this international recruitment, most of the international nurses back then actually drove through California and Vermont. So these are very frequently asked questions. If you passed the NCLEX many years ago, Lexi asks, a nurse can transfer their Canadian or Australian NCLEX passport to the US. board of care? Michelle yes they can. Again, I would probably apply for Illinois. I suppose it really depends on where you are going, but if you weren't sure where you were going I would apply to Illinois and have your grades transferred. From Canada or from Australia? And there is a follow-up question sent to me directly from Etsy which is: Should I take the NCLEX to Canada or Australia instead of applying to a US state? I wouldn't recommend that. If your goal is to get to the United States, I would apply for the US version and get a license e.g. B. Applying to a board that will issue a US license rather than going the long way, which I would call if you're working in Canada, that's different. Yes.
I think that's good advice, and that's exactly why we love the Lefora talk show. And thanks again to the Lefora administration team for giving us this opportunity to share important information about US licensing with all nurses around the world. Okay, so we have more questions about PTE and OET. I know this is a hot topic. Please, if you did not watch the Connetics USA Onwards and Upwards show on Friday, last week, and the week before, please do so. You are on the Connetics USA website and our social media channels. I know this is a big issue for many international health professionals, not just nurses, and because it means a big change in requirements. So be sure to watch these shows so you can educate yourself and we will keep you updated on any changes to PTE and OET requirements from a government perspective.
Okay so Neka is asking what license do I need as a helper in the US? And I'm not sure what Nika means by support staff. I think she might mean a nurse. Honey, every state is different for nursing. Some therefore require you to take a state-approved course, which is usually around 75 hours in most states. If that's the case, then a clinical component is required, so for some of these you can't easily do it online. And then there are some that if you trained abroad, like as a nurse, and you wanted to take a nursing assistant exam, there is a way around it. In some states, since you have basically already received medical training, the training course can apply for permission to take this state-approved nursing assistant exam without having to go through a nursing assistant course.
So again, it's very state specific and these are licenses that aren't always recognized from state to state. For example, if you became a registered nurse in Florida, you couldn't necessarily become a registered nurse in North Carolina or Tennessee without first going through their requirements or training or taking their exam. So you need to be a bit more specific about where you want to work as a nursing assistant and then look at that state's requirements. OK, thanks, Nika. And we have a whole program about nurses that will also be shown in the coming weeks and months.
I have a question. I'm from India but I was born in the United Arab Emirates. If I pass my integration, can I apply? Michelle yes, definitely. If you were born in United Arab Emirates, that's great because that means you were born. Immigration all depends on where you were born. And although you are an Indian national or citizen your place of birth was the United Arab Emirates so you would fall under all other taxable territories and not India and visas are currently there. OK, perfect. Lucy says Holly and Michelle know so much, love the Lefora Talk Show.
So, yes, you are right. Lucy, Holly and Michelle are the dream team on the side. So this is your chance. Everyone asks questions, and we'll try to clear up as many as we can in chat. OK. Shalaya, I hope I spelled that right, is asking if the North Dakota Board of Directors requires an annual assessment for CGFNS to issue the CES for the license? Holly, do you want to take this question? It has unraveled a bit. For North Dakota, for international nurses, and many of the countries that may be running for the board, they will ask you to complete a CES assessment for confirmation. That's because they want to make sure that when you're issued a license, you're confident that you're up to the level required in North Dakota to get your original license.
So for some countries they may only accept a certificate at first, but there is a high possibility that they could still come back and say: we have your certificates, but we still want you to go ahead and submit a CES for us. It seems to be less common in some schools in the Philippines, but there is no guarantee even Filipino nurses won't have to present this CES at some point to get the license. If North Dakota gets your transcripts from your school and a few other things, they can actually issue you a temporary license to give you a little time.
It's a 90-day temporary license to perform a credential assessment if they ask for it and follow up. OK. I don't know North Dakota that well, but the question was whether it was an annual assessment. Once they get your review, they don't need another one. Once they have confirmed that you meet the requirements, they should not ask for a second CES report.
Okay we have a question from Camillo saying NCLEX has been reviewed. My license is from New York. I apply for asylum. You can help with this to work with the visa screen in progress. Michelle, so my license, I'm waiting for your help with this. you can apply Sorry Sorry. It depends on where you were educated abroad or were educated in the US. You need a visa screen process. And depending on who you work with, they will help you apply. CGFNS and Joseph. Sylvie is now issuing Visa screens.
It doesn't matter where you trained, with us or abroad, you will need a visa screen when applying for a visa to work in the United States. Whether it is a permanent visa or a nonimmigrant visa. You can apply by thank you I suppose Michelle. And we have a question here about Texas and please help us our end that will make license endorsements for Texas to fix issues in a comment that Ireland should be fixed in all four subtests. This only applies to applicants planning to take NCLEX through Texas, but not those who are confirming, right? Please check.
Holly and Michelle, I'm not sure if you have any comment on this question. I think the question is, is the IELTS required in each subtest for both application and confirmation? Michelle Honey, English is not required for confirmation.
So with the NCLEX, I'll have to double-check that. There are several states that require six in all areas, and Texas could be one of them. I'm not done yet and I'm clicking my way through Texas. OK. It's also not fresh enough for me what the specific scores are. However, I am assuming that the nurse has not been trained in English or with English textbooks and that is why they require or ask for this at the time of application for immigration. But yeah, I'm going to try it now. If we have questions during the conversation that we didn't think of or didn't have a specific answer to because they're very specific questions, our team of experts at Licensure will go into the chat after the show and answer those specific questions for She.
Vidjaya Krishnan asks what about the Kentucky Board of Directors regarding license issuance and NCLEX Passport? I think the Kentucky board has a lot of nurses in Kentucky. I think Kentucky Board is actually a bit easier to deal with. Treasure? Yes, we do not typically work with them for NCLEX exam applications. We work with them more for support and they are quite timely and easier to work with them that way. I would have to look a little more closely at their NCLEX requirements regarding English, whether they issue a license by exam if they pass or not. So? I did not think. Better. I'm also wondering because to get your perm they are great at issuing temps but to get your perm you have to have the social. So I'm wondering if that might affect getting a license from Apex? Absolutely.
OK. We have so many questions that I'm just trying to pick out the ones we haven't already asked. So we have a question let me see here from Joy asking does it matter how much time elapses between passing the NCLEX and the date we arrive? Michelle, so we talked about that before. It depends on what they actually ask if you are licensed and after you pass NCLEX there is no problem if you pass NCLEX through California like this Indian nurse who passed California years before they can apply or they can apply by taking an exam in Illinois.
However, we recently found a case in Florida where this is true where it has been four years since they had never received a US. license. And in this case there are concerns. So I think they said they had to do a refresher course or something before they would be exhibited. 5 years. 5 years. Many Thanks. So our advice, and that's what we've said, is if you're trying to apply to anywhere that's licensed, and if you haven't, it's worth applying to Illinois just to get a license in the to get hands on. If it takes you several years to get here due to immigration or other reasons, I would say just take the best chance and get a license. And for us, Illinois would be a good place to do that right now. OK. Thank you Michelle
So I see the questions are coming fast and furious and we want to try and get through as many as we can, but I want you to just talk a little bit about the license approval process and what is required, what the general requirements are. So we have a graphic, Holly, would you mind just walking us through this licensed general requirements graphic very quickly? As we've said before, the best way to pass NCLEX is to do it through a state that will issue you a license. If so, it is your responsibility to maintain that license.
Some nurses choose to let it expire when they still have the opportunity to keep it active. And my advice is, as much as you're allowed to keep it active, you can also benefit from it if it expires, maybe put it in a state that allows you to use it for the entire time you use it are waiting to keep active. It's best to try to keep an active license as this makes the endorsement process much easier. If you have an active license at the time of application, the next step in most states is to consider whether you have that license and apply for endorsements that you go through a verification process. There is a website called Nurses that is run by NCSBN and most of the US. States use nurses for electronic verification of your US. Licensing from one state to another. Some states require you to validate the endorsement exam license, i.e. H. the state where you obtained your first license because you acquired and collected it and your current US.
License if these states are different. So if you're traveling through Illinois but then verified Tennessee and now want to go to another state, you may need to verify both. Currently the fee for this process is $30 for each board you verify. Confirmations may require further verification of credentials. I mentioned that earlier.
So if you want to go to Texas for work like in New York, Texas requires a CES so you need to do an eligibility check. Usually this goes through CGFNS or Joseph Silney. One of them are the most popular ones accepted by the state authority. Be very careful as the term CES is an evaluation term for eligibility check and we do eligibility checks for both Licenses and Visa Screen. Visa Screen may have many more agencies accepting these CES from than your state agency. So don't assume I'm a virtuoso. CES. So this mostly works now for all these different boards.
I've never heard of a board accepting this for licensing. OK. Many states allow you to have a license activated before you come, but it may not be the one you will be working on. So if possible try to have an active license before you come. Meet the requirements to maintain the active license and then when you arrive there may be some final requirements which could give the board your social security number so they can issue you that license. Or they may want some visa documents that show you are in the US. And have permission to work here.
Finally, license based on your primary state of residence, we have both single state and multi-state licenses. Most of the time, international nurses don't have an address here before they come. This is a residence. So when they arrive, they get a single state license for the state they support so they can start work. This license gives them full permission to work in that state. And if they want a multi-state license thereafter, they can work with the board to provide the appropriate identification that shows their primary state of residence, such as: B. A state ID card, and then obtain a multi-state license. But what they really need to go to work is the only state license in the state where they want to work.
ok thanks holly So I can't believe it at the end of the hour. how you flew Oh my god I'm so excited. I throw my microphone over. You can see this is live, everyone. So we have a lot of questions. The bad news is we're nearing the end of the hour. The good news is that Michelle and Harley will be back and we will be able to answer more of your licensing questions as this is a very confusing part of entering the United States.
We take one last question and it's from Mohit asking how much time does it take to complete the whole process after passing the NCLEX. Michelle, so I assume they are asking about the pass and click after the immigration process. So when we apply for an I-140, it depends on their job, where they are and what agency they are with, but the actual filing, if someone is actually applying for you, I'd say anywhere from 12 through 18 Months, more or less, whether you're accelerated and all that. So we'd hope so. 2024
If you start the process now, you will be here in 2024. Can I just give the person from Texas a short answer? Because one of my team has already emailed me the answer. OK, thanks, Nina. Just wait. Nina it's 6.5 for Ireland and six in each area but they take Pearson PTE and then also TOEFL IBT in Texas. And that's just for the exam. And it's the NCAA exam. And so is, if you weren't raised in English, with English textbooks.
OK, thank you very much, Michelle. Thank you Holli. That was so informative, so valuable. I know there are many nurses around the world right now who are breathing aside with relief that they are beginning to understand more about the licensing requirements to enter the United States. As I said before, it can feel so scary, so overwhelming, and expensive that it is so important to educate yourself about this process so that you can get to the United States as quickly and smoothly as possible. Before you leave, I just wanted to say a quick shout out to the Lefora administration team for your support to all nurses in the United States and around the world, I should say. And also just wanted to let everyone know about some upcoming shows. So we have a chart with some upcoming shows with Connectics College. For those of you who don't know, Connetics College is a live show. Visit our social media every Monday.
This is live class, both on the IELTS. On Friday 25th we have nine to write an IELTS course on site. We have NCLEX partners who will be speaking on various Connetics College topics. And then every Friday we have Onwards and Upwards, which can be found at 7:00 am Pacific Time on the Connetics USA Facebook page. Check what time it is in your local time. And on the 22nd we have the Immigration Expert Legal Panel that will answer your immigration questions.
So if you have any questions about immigration, please watch this show. On the 29th we have a very interesting show about transportation in the USA. And we have a lot of experts that come to us to talk about transportation, what's available in different parts of the US, how to buy a car, how to get a car loan, all different transportation-related topics. And our next Lefora talk show, which we do once a month, is in August on August 16th. And here we are going to talk specifically about the clinical aspect of the ICU. And this is your opportunity to interview nurses about working in the United States in the ICU. We did a poll on the forum asking which specialty to start with and ICU got the most votes. So the intensive care unit is it. So thank you everyone for joining us on the Lefora talk show. Thanks to Holly, thanks to Ms. Michelle and see you next month. Thank you all. Many Thanks. goodbye
Managing Director Connectics USA:Hello everyone and welcome. Welcome to our monthly Lefora talk show today. This is season three, episode six. Who would ever believe that the Lefora talk show has been running for three years? I can not believe it. We are pleased to welcome our expert panel of lawyers with us today. I'm your hostess, Tanya Friedman. I am the Chief Executive of Connectics USA and I am joined today by Holly. hello holly Warm welcome. And we also have Michelle with a beautiful background. Michelle, welcome.
Good morning Tomorrow Michelle Our topic today is the USA. license. How does US work. license work? So if you are an international nurse thinking about coming to the United States and you want to learn more about the US. Licensure, this is the show for you today. We will talk about many different topics. We're going to talk about the NCLEX, we're going to talk about application by exam, application by confirmation. What does that mean? We'll talk about click score, existing referrals, past verifications, credentials, temp permits, emergency permits, contact licenses, and lots of information available today. And we have our experienced legal team ready to share your hints and tips and answer your questions.
Before we begin I just want to say hello to the administration team at Lafora, Ms. Jean, Louise, Anna, James and Sister Juan. All to Paul from the Lefora administration team for doing such a fabulous job of nurses helping nurses. And that's what today is about. So today I say hello to Holly and Michelle. Let's start with introductions. Do you want to introduce yourself?
Secure. Hello, everyone. I'm Holly Muscle White. I have been a Registered Nurse for 22 years and have worked with international professionals throughout my career, have had some wonderful experiences that have certainly enriched my life as a nurse and I currently serve at Connetics as a Clinical Instructor. I work with nurses who are working on their NCLEX and I work with nurses who are preparing to come to the US and occasionally nurses who are here in the US adjusting to their first job here. As such, I appreciate any opportunity to help a nurse navigate all of these processes, and I look forward to sharing more about life insurance with you today. Thanks Holli.
And with us today is Michelle. Welcome Michelle Many Thanks. And imagine. Secure. Good morning Hello everyone in the different time zones. My name is Michelle Kilkenny. I am Senior Director of Immigration, Licensing Credentialing. I have been working with international nurses for over three decades and am an immigrant myself. I was actually lucky enough to get a Lottery Green Card over 30 years ago. And since then I've been working to bring nurses to America. Initially on H one A if you don't remember those, but in the old days they probably weren't born back then. And now, since '95, we're putting nurses on green cards. So I know immigration and licensing NCLEX and endorsements what we're going to talk about. And I can tell you I've been passionate about it since I started 33 years ago and I still feel the same passion. There is nothing quite like welcoming a nurse here and seeing her start her new life in America with her family and that still brings me joy. So thank you.
Well Catherine says it's a pleasure to meet you so thank you for joining us today Harley and Michelle. And like I said, if you're a nurse starting this journey and coming to the United States, you don't know where to start. If you're a nurse who's already started this journey and you're like, oh my god, I don't know how to do a licensed endorsement, I don't know about the Visa screen, I don't know about CES. This show is for you because this is free information designed to help you navigate the tricky roadmap of upcoming licensing in the United States. If you have any questions, please ask them in the chat. I have many questions that have already been sent to us, and we're going to jump right in and probe the brains of this team of licensing experts. The only one I was about to say is Ms. Jean. We wanted Mrs Jean from iPad to be with us today. Unfortunately, she couldn't make it for tonight's show. She is very busy. But she will join us on Future Joe. So give my regards to Ms. Jean, who I think these three heads are probably the best licensing experts in the United States. So I am very excited about this opportunity. All right, so let's get started.
Holly, let's start with you. Many nurses when looking at the path to success and if you don't know the path to success please go to the Connetics USA website and look at the path to success because this is kind of a road map to take when you are in the United States want to come. So first pass the NCLEX and then prepare for the interview. Then you have your visa framework if you come with a green TN card. And number four is Licensure and Credentialing. So if you don't know where to start, sometimes the biggest barrier to entry is not understanding the terms e.g. B. what things mean.
So we have a graphic of the different terms you need to understand in relation to US approval. Can you explain these terms to us so everyone is on the same page and knows what we mean when we are talking about transferring NCLEX scores or licenses or emergency permits? Yes. So I'm going to go through each of these terms for you. When we talk about applications for admission, we are referring to the documents that are submitted to the state authority to which you are applying. So if you currently want to attend the NCLEX, you would apply to a state by exam or apply by exam. And that means, in most cases, that you still have to take your NCLEX exam and therefore need to get approval to do it. Applying by endorsement means that you have already passed the exam and obtained a US license. And hence, based on the original state you passed through or received from NCLEX, what we call an exam license or a home license. They now want to confirm that in another state to get a license in that second state. And more often than not, the license they get for international nurses isn't necessarily the license they will work with, as the states you work with as an international nurse often have enough differences in criteria that it's easier to pass your exam to do in a state. And if you then have an assignment or a job in another state, you go through the approval process.
Board or Board of Nursing is a term used although not every state calls it Board of Nursing. If you were to use this in google e.g. For example, at the Washington Board of Nursing, you could search for it and it would link to that state board of nursing or the regulatory agency that administers licenses for that state. Licensing itself means you are fully qualified to work in the United States as a registered nurse in a given state. We'll talk about compact licenses in a moment. Notarization on the licensing side refers to not talking about immigration at the moment. Certification relates to a review of your nursing education, and the intent is for each state to certify that your education is essentially the same as that of a US-trained registered nurse. would receive to qualify for the NCLEX exam.
So, what this credentialing process looks at, regardless of who is doing the credential checking for you, is how your credentials and nursing education compare to the requirements of that particular state in order for their nurses to be able to pass the exam or get licensed on endorsement? Even the exam is a national licensing exam that RNS and LPNs can take to get their first nursing license in the United States. As mentioned, the NCLEX is a national exam.
This means that each individual state has agreed to accept this particular exam as the one that the nurse can attain to meet US initial licensing requirements. It doesn't say the nurse is an expert in everything they should be, but it does say they have a baseline level of nursing competency that will enable them to provide safe, entry-level nursing in the United States and Hollywood to practice. That's me, sorry to interrupt you here, but just a quick question. If the nurse passes the NCLEX, she will never have to take the NCLEX again, as when moving from one state to another. So if you're moving from one state to another, you shouldn't have to take the NCLEX again. The only time I've ever seen a nurse possibly be asked to pick and click again was if they were going to lapse their qualifications. So if they don't maintain these, and we'll talk a little more about that in a later part of this section, but if they don't follow these requirements, that NCLEX path could actually become invalid in a certain state. And that, in turn, is why you should pay very close attention to what each state requires to sustain it. But overall, NCLEX doesn't expire. So it's nice that you get it in condition. And just because you're traveling from Florida to New York doesn't mean you have to do it again.
Thank God. OK Good. Thank you Harley Okay so let's finalize the terms and then we can move on to the NCLEX application process. Yes. So an inflex score transfer earlier on this slide I talked about an application through exam and your exam license. A score transfer may occur in cases where the international nurse was supposed to pass her NCLEX exam, but the state she passed may not have issued her a license at the time of passing. And each state has different rules in this regard. So if they don't pass I'm sorry if they pass but don't get a license issued if they pass NCLEX then with some boards there is an opportunity to take that NCLEX pass without being fully licensed afterwards and transfer the passport itself electronically from this state. They were allowed to transit to a state that will issue them a license. And the most common where we see this is like California.
For people who applied through California years ago, they passed and never got licensed. And they know the California body isn't the one they're going to work through or plan to work through first. So we can transfer that score from California to Illinois, who issue what's called an exam license, because they accept that transfer of the score, and then they issue the very first nurse's license, which we call an exam license. So that's short, the transfer of points, a path check is a bit different. Therefore, states often look to the date of admission, whether it is initial admission or confirmation, to verify where the nurse took classes.
Sometimes for me as a US trained and originally licensed registered nurse they might want to know where you got your NCELX through and can we validate that? There is an electronic system called Nurses that often allows us when they validate that original license or that exam license that the state that issued it actually recorded my information on my NCLEX exam. So it's happening behind the scenes. But occasionally the state board will ask that a form be filled out by the board you have been given permission to click through to the board you wish to consent to. That said, the permit or license to attempt to pass the review is something that will be unique to each state. Some states allow a nurse to obtain a temporary license where they can show some basic qualifications as part of the application.
Receive a temporary permit that you cannot transfer from one state to another. They can only practice in the state that issued this temporary permit. And most of the time, this temporary permit is only valid for 60 to 90 days. And occasionally we see a board that lasts 120 days. There are many authorities that will not issue a temporary residency permit to an international nurse. The reason is that they want to look again at those educational credentials and confirm that the nurse trained abroad, even with confirmation, has reached that equivalent level. So again, not every board says I'll give you a temp so you can work on the rest of the requirements. Some will. And it's nice for that. But remember, if you don't already know, some employers aren't very kind to temporary permits either, because if the permit expires before the nurse has completed all the requirements, they now have a nurse on board and they have you hope that the nurse gets this license. But if something happens and it's in front of them, it could pose a risk to the facility. As such, not every institution will be happy to work with someone while they are still awaiting a permanent license. Next is an emergency permit. So the most common emergency permits we've seen over the past few years have been due to COVID.
There were special laws that were enacted to allow state agencies to actually issue emergency permits or allow nurses to work. If they had a full US license in one state, they could work in another state in this emergency situation. Sometimes you had to file paperwork, sometimes your employer just needed to be able to see that you had a valid US license somewhere in a US state and that was all. So each individual state has different rules for emergency licensing as well. And when that's appropriate, when disasters happen, we often see laws being put in place to allow nurses to come and help in those situations.
So for example those of you who have dealt with typhoons or what we call hurricanes here in my part of the world when that happens and there is great devastation and there is a need for medical professionals. Sometimes the state goes through an expedited process to allow nurses to do this work as a registered nurse in the state without having to go through the full certification process. And Holly, we're watching that very closely because these contingency licenses are going to shift with the pandemic in flux, just before we talk about the compact license. I see we have a lot of questions from the chat. I wanted to answer some of these questions, and if you have any licensing questions for our panel of experts, please share them in chat. And I will try to answer as many questions as possible. So I see we've joined a lot of people from Cyril Leone, Ale Dee from Nigeria. Irish says hello. Catherine says hello.
We have a question from a Facebook user asking? Nice day. Any tips on contacting the Board of Illinois? I've been tracking my license for two months already. No replies to my email. I don't know if they already had my driver's license. Documents accept the password for verification because now everyone knows what the passport letter is. Statement of verification while awaiting Illinois official license.
Michelle, how would you answer the Illinois board of directors question? Yes, they can verify NCLEX. They do not need to have issued the license to qualify for a visa screen as long as they have a current license abroad. You only need a current license for the Visa screen. But Illinois, if you passed the NCAA to Illinois and submitted the application for the $50 for the actual license, it should be issued within two months, so there shouldn't be a delay there. Okay, and what should the Facebook user do if there is a delay? They should tell CGFNS via the assistant that they have anchored in Illinois. But CGFNS can't pull it by themselves because they need a license number to digitally pull it.
So they just have to follow up with Illinois and ask them to check this out. And how can they verify NCLEX? OK. There is also a phone number they can call. This is what we see with some of the nurses we already work with. I'm going to tell you meanwhile what we call the summertime all the kids are out of school and whatever but nurses have just graduated en masse in the United States. And the state authorities have seen a very large influx of applications from the US during the summer months because they are also trying to take over NCLEX. Sometimes this slows down their response times a bit more. However, we've been advised that even if you've emailed to actually call, it's ideal if you wait for a response. Unfortunately, government bodies for these types of international nurse applications are often paper-based, and as such there is no way to electronically check what part of the process they are in until they are issued. Yes.
So you can also try calling. And we know it's frustrating, but we have a semester at Connectics USA and follow-up at AMN Obsessive. That's it. You just have to keep following. Unfortunately, it can be very frustrating. Janetel is asking today as a bank she knows can I apply? What is the process? In a few minutes, Michelle will actually walk us through the NCLEX application process and what it entails. We have another question about Illinois. Illinois, obviously a very popular board, another issue is licensed from Illinois, has already been moved to Texas. If the temporary license is about to expire, can I just renew it to avoid repeating the license verification process?
Michelle, no, they won't renew your temporary license in Texas, but you need to find out why. I mean some of our nurses didn't pass the legal test or their foreign license wasn't checked and sent to the authorities. But Texas, they give you the four months. I believe in a temporary license, there should be enough time to get the permanent license through. So you need to check what exactly is missing and have it submitted. But they will not accept your submission. OK. Thank you Michelle
I see a lot of people tag their friends, so thanks for that. Please share this video with your friends. Tag your friends. The Lefora talk show is about nurses helping nurses. This is free information. This process is very confusing. They don't just deal with immigration. If you have questions about immigration, watch our monthly Up and Up show, which we put our immigration experts in, but the licensing page is just as confusing. Please share and tag your friends on this show because our experts are here to help you.
Okay, we have a lot of questions now, so I'll try to answer as many as I can. And Michelle and Holly will also guide us through the application and confirmation process. Mahut asks, I passed the NCLEX exam from the Texas Board last month but my license is not yet updated. What should I do? Treasure? So if you are in the Texas application process, yes if you pass the exam you should be issued with a license. We have seen with the nurses we work with that this takes a little longer. But again, as Michelle said in the previous question, is something missing? Is there anything they need to complete your file and issue the license? As such, I would also use phone calls, emails and messages through their system to seek clarification on whether you may be missing some of the criteria they needed to exhibit. But we also see a longer time lag between the NCLEX path and the issuance of this license.
Okay thanks. Here you go. My head, Cherry Lin asks, I recently passed my NCLEX exam in Texas. So far I have not received a letter from the nursing authority. Now that everyone knows what the bon means when you go through these terms minutely, and that I officially passed quick results, I'm sorry I didn't end up realizing that I officially passed these through quicken results i already seen what should i do Well, again, if you saw it by the quick results, I don't know how quick Texas will be broadcasting the actual NCSBN. I don't even know if they still ship this. But you'll get it, I don't think so either. So you should wait for your license to be issued.
You need to check with the Texas Board on the status of your actual application and make sure you might not miss the legal test or something simple that you just have to take for them to issue a license. OK. Thank you Michelle
And I'm going to answer a few more questions before we talk a little more about the NCLEX application process and the NFLEX confirmation process. Janet Hall asks, are Bangladeshi nurses eligible for the NCLEX exam? Treasure? So I have not personally worked with many Bangladeshi nurses. What I would say is that it may depend on whether your nursing education was similar to US nursing education. And so this process can be done in different ways. One way is to look at the state board laws and I'm going to talk about how many hours you need for each course or training, how many clinical hours you need in each of these segments. As is typical of international nurses, if you do not qualify to take the NCLEX, it is because most of the time your training has not been in some way essentially equivalent.
That's because there were only a few lessons in psychology, either on the classroom side or on the classroom and clinical experience side, meaning you went in and had rotation or maternity without your individual credentials with the requirements to compare the state board, it's difficult to say for sure. I've worked with Bangladeshi nurses before, but I haven't taken them through the process myself to know how they got there. Many Thanks. Darling, do you have anything to add to this question about Bangladeshi nurses? No, I agree with what you say. I feel like I've worked with Bangladeshi nurses before, but I still don't understand it in 30 years. But I will say that the only way to find out is to get this credentials report or check with your school. But you need hours in the five areas of nursing. So if you have completed theory and practice in the five branches of nursing, you should qualify.
OK, fabulous. Here we go. Janetel, Denise asks, do you know that CGFNS accepts OET from Visa screen? The short answer? Denise, our answer is yes. Please check out our shows. We've had two shows up and up in the last two weeks. Onwards and Upwards is a weekly Connetics USA show we host for international healthcare workers across the United States. And we had two very comprehensive shows last Friday and the Friday before that. Speaking of the new announcement for CGFNS, if you haven't seen these shows, please check them out. You can visit the Connetics USA website or the Connetics USA social channels and watch these broadcasts and find out about the OET and PST and PTE changes taking place on August 1 via the CGFNS.
Okay, Kylie asks, I passed my California Board Nursing entry years ago. Is it still valid? I don't get my social security. Michelle yes it is still valid. And you can't activate your California license because you don't have a social security number, but you can apply to another board. I would suggest that you apply to the Illinois Board via exam and have your results mailed from California and then get an Illinois license. But that requires and we'll talk about that in a moment. You need to get an Illinois eligibility report and then get your results there. So there is a process, but yes your NCLEX is safe. OK great. Colin, I'm sure that's a big sigh of relief for you.
And thanks for asking that question, because that's a very common question that we get from a lot of nurses who are shaking in their boots because they're like, oh my god, I carried my NCLEX around California years ago and maybe it is no longer valid. So the short answer is that it's still valid. Suleimay asks, is there something for medical technicians? Yes. Connectics USA and AMN. Connectics, you say, is part of theAMNFamily today, we are proud of that. And we both have medtech positions. And we have a medical technology show coming our way, so watch out. Okay, Michelle, we're going to start talking a little bit about the NCLEX application process now. The difference between the NCLEX application and the NCLEX endorsement was explained very well.
So let's talk a little more about the NCLEX application. And we have a slide that really talks a little bit about the process and the requirements. So we're going to hang this graphic above the requirements. Can you explain these exam requirements to us? Of course. So the first thing you want to do is for your trip to the states, you need to pass NCLEX and as a step find out which board you want to apply to. You obviously get along, you are at different agencies or you are at Connetics, they will guide you and give you advice on which boards to apply to.
One thing I would suggest is to do your homework because you don't want to apply to a board that ends up not issuing a license if you pass NCLEX. And we have a lot of nurses who did the Florida Boards. It's a great board and you can pass NCLEX but you won't get a license because they need a social security number to issue the license. And again, the social security number, that's what you get when you come here on a visa.
We therefore recommend that you do your homework. There are many boards you can apply to. Some of the best I would think of would be Illinois, Michigan, Texas but there are many others but you don't want to apply somewhere that doesn't issue a license like Florida, Nevada, California. Well, you can no longer apply in California without a social, but there are several such states. So do your homework on the board you are applying to. They all have a fee and they vary widely and they are non-refundable.
So you have to think about how long it will take. When will you be ready to take NCLEX? You should be pursuing a degree program or preparing for NCLEX, but at the same time you can submit your NCLEX application to a board of directors and complete your transcript of records. So you decide on a board then for most you will need to request a credential report as there are many credentialing agencies out there. The most important would be of courseCGFNS, and then after that, like Joseph Silny and there are several others that the boards agree with, but there are hundreds out there.
So make sure the body you are applying to for the NCLEX accepts the agency you are using. Let's just say you apply to CGFNS. You request a CF report. I think it was only increased to 420 for this. And when you apply, you have to indicate which board you're taking and clicking through. For this reason, it is very important that you select the board first so that you can start your CES even before you start your varied application to the actual board. You just have to be sure which board you are applying for. CJ You need your high school diploma. Every nurse has to graduate from high school just so you know that to be an american nurse for american exam you need to graduate from high school. So you need your Abitur or Diploma. And that's very important because a lot of people don't have that. So you have to look for it. And then they need your nursing certificates or academic requirement form and they also need your foreign license verification. And I would include all licenses. So if you are in the middle east but from the. Philippines, you need to apply for your PRC, but no matter what country you are in, you need to apply for verification from there as well, which might be important later. Some boards want to know where you are licensed. Others just care about where you get your education.
So once again you need to do your homework there or work with the agency you work with. And then fingerprints, they require background checks. So many boards will have fingerprint cards. You must complete and submit your application. Social insurance. you don't have one So many boards have a social security affidavit that you basically notarize that I don't have social security, but if I have one I will provide it. knowledge of english While it may not be required for the board, many boards will accept it. If your CEO states on your transcript that you are educated in English using English textbooks, you are eligible to graduate from NCLEX in that state. However, you must keep in mind that once you pass NCLEX, you will need English to get the visa screen after that, as you need this visa screen certificate or the health worker certificate to get a visa to work in the United States Conditions. Although knowledge of English may not be required at this time, you will need it to get the visa screen. And then further education topics. Some boards want continues or CEUs as we call them here. And again these can be obtained. Whoever you're collaborating with can advise you on how to get them, but not everyone needs it.
There are a few things with exam applications. I assume we'll go through the map in a moment, but you can apply to the board. You apply for oneCES Report. It will be submitted to the board by whatever agency you have and the board will then authorize you to test. Once they make you eligible to test, you pay. Many Thanks. Pearson View, who administers the exam, you pay $200 to register with them. Once you register with them, they issue an ATT. Currently the ATPs are valid since COVID for six months before Covid. And maybe they'll change it again. We don't know until we're told. But they could become a 90-day window again. In fact, some boards have a one-year window. It's crazy that they're different, but they are. So you have to know your board.
But at the moment the minimum is six months. So you have a six month window and during those six months you have to schedule your test wherever you are. If you travel to America, there are no additional fees. But if you plan it, say in Manila, you pay $150 when you plan the actual test. If you are in the UK. London I believe is $180. Most of them cost $150, but there are some that are a little different. I think India is like 177 so you need to plan your test. And obviously once you have taken the test you will get the quick results within 48 hours and you have passed. And then it's exciting. You proceed with your immigration.
Well, depending on the board, like, if you've done the Illinois NCLEX well, once you pass, you have to wait until they send you an application for an actual license, which you then have to submit with $50 to get yours license issued. But if you're in Texas, they issue your license. I'm talking faster, but obviously, from the chat, maybe not as well. I know Michigan will issue it immediately. It just depends on the board. New York issues it, so there may be a wait. But you surely want that license because we'll talk about that soon. But the license is very important. Well, if you unfortunately fail, different boards have different rules. Some boards only allow you to join once and then you have to apply again. For others, such as Illinois, your application is valid for three years. You can take it as many times as you like during those three years. Hopefully it doesn't take that often, but you can repeat the test. You have to pay each time, but you have a three-year window. Michigan, I think there's a two-year window in which you can take the test. They used to limit it to three times, but now they just changed the rules.
And I think it's unlimited in Michigan too. But it's still within that two-year window and the application is still valid. Thank you Michelle This is a really comprehensive explanation of the NCLEX application process. It's very confusing for so many nurses so getting this guide is really important. Having these two licensing minds with us today is just so valuable and so helpful, I know, to so many nurses watching around the world today because it can feel really, really overwhelming, and really scary, and it's expensive . So you want to make sure you're taking the right steps in your NCLEX application process.
We have a question here, and we actually get this question a lot. This question has also been sent to me before, meaning hello, I'm about to take my NCLEX RN in upstate New York. If I pass the exam, can I seek validation outside of New York? Holly so you can seek assistance. New York, as Michelle mentioned, is one of those bodies that will issue a license if you pass. That's great.
They are also a body that requires two continuing education topics when registering for the exam. So one of the things to be aware of is that if you are supporting another state from an original New York state and the new state requires a credentialing evaluation, you may need to go through CGFNS to get that done there , where you were originally had New York evaluate your credentials. So just be prepared. You could, depending on where you end up working.
If you look at the endorsement requirements, see if they require a CES. If you've done the Visa screen with CGF and S at this point, remember that your transcripts are already stored, so you don't need to retrieve your transcripts again unless it's been more than four years. CGFNS will discard your electronic files if they are more than four years old unless you pay to have them stored at Step Yi. So yes you can. OK fine.
Here you go. You can transfer. And that's another thing, another issue of confusion, because a lot of nurses think if I do my NCLEX in New York, I have to work in New York. So the answer is no, you don't have to. And there are ways to make a confirmation. Lexi Bus has a question. I am currently in Qatar past the NCLEX through Vermont but not an active license due to social security. When I endorse my Illinois license to maintain an active license, is there a portion that asks Social Security, can I use a dummy number? If so, what is the dummy social security number? Michelle: I think there's an Illinois Social Security affidavit, so we can answer that again. But I have a question about Vermont. The question would be whether a license was issued and never active so it was issued or not a passport letter. I believe in Vermont they are issued but they just don't give you that it's not active if you know what I mean. And there are other states that you can apply to with an inactive license where they can issue a current one so you don't have to drive through Illinois. Yes, the other thing that matters is whether you just wanted an active license so you can support elsewhere. Vermont, when they get your social message, usually within 24, 48 hours, they flip it and hand it out. This is unique. Some states take a little longer once you've got social media up and running, so you can try supporting elsewhere first rather than waiting. But Vermont is pretty fast. Yes, we've definitely seen that Vermont is very efficient overall.
That's helpful because years ago when Michelle and I started this international recruitment, most of the international nurses back then actually drove through California and Vermont. So these are very frequently asked questions. If you passed the NCLEX many years ago, Lexi asks, a nurse can transfer their Canadian or Australian NCLEX passport to the US. board of care? Michelle yes they can. Again, I would probably apply for Illinois. I suppose it really depends on where you are going, but if you weren't sure where you were going I would apply to Illinois and have your grades transferred. From Canada or from Australia? And there is a follow-up question sent to me directly from Etsy which is: Should I take the NCLEX to Canada or Australia instead of applying to a US state? I wouldn't recommend that. If your goal is to get to the United States, I would apply for the US version and get a license e.g. B. Applying to a board that will issue a US license rather than going the long way, which I would call if you're working in Canada, that's different. Yes.
I think that's good advice, and that's exactly why we love the Lefora talk show. And thanks again to the Lefora administration team for giving us this opportunity to share important information about US licensing with all nurses around the world. Okay, so we have more questions about PTE and OET. I know this is a hot topic. Please, if you did not watch the Connetics USA Onwards and Upwards show on Friday, last week, and the week before, please do so. You are on the Connetics USA website and our social media channels. I know this is a big issue for many international health professionals, not just nurses, and because it means a big change in requirements. So be sure to watch these shows so you can educate yourself and we will keep you updated on any changes to PTE and OET requirements from a government perspective.
Okay so Neka is asking what license do I need as a helper in the US? And I'm not sure what Nika means by support staff. I think she might mean a nurse. Honey, every state is different for nursing. Some therefore require you to take a state-approved course, which is usually around 75 hours in most states. If that's the case, then a clinical component is required, so for some of these you can't easily do it online. And then there are some that if you trained abroad, like as a nurse, and you wanted to take a nursing assistant exam, there is a way around it. In some states, since you have basically already received medical training, the training course can apply for permission to take this state-approved nursing assistant exam without having to go through a nursing assistant course.
So again, it's very state specific and these are licenses that aren't always recognized from state to state. For example, if you became a registered nurse in Florida, you couldn't necessarily become a registered nurse in North Carolina or Tennessee without first going through their requirements or training or taking their exam. So you need to be a bit more specific about where you want to work as a nursing assistant and then look at that state's requirements. OK, thanks, Nika. And we have a whole program about nurses that will also be shown in the coming weeks and months.
I have a question. I'm from India but I was born in the United Arab Emirates. If I pass my integration, can I apply? Michelle yes, definitely. If you were born in United Arab Emirates, that's great because that means you were born. Immigration all depends on where you were born. And although you are an Indian national or citizen your place of birth was the United Arab Emirates so you would fall under all other taxable territories and not India and visas are currently there. OK, perfect. Lucy says Holly and Michelle know so much, love the Lefora Talk Show.
So, yes, you are right. Lucy, Holly and Michelle are the dream team on the side. So this is your chance. Everyone asks questions, and we'll try to clear up as many as we can in chat. OK. Shalaya, I hope I spelled that right, is asking if the North Dakota Board of Directors requires an annual assessment for CGFNS to issue the CES for the license? Holly, do you want to take this question? It has unraveled a bit. For North Dakota, for international nurses, and many of the countries that may be running for the board, they will ask you to complete a CES assessment for confirmation. That's because they want to make sure that when you're issued a license, you're confident that you're up to the level required in North Dakota to get your original license.
So for some countries they may only accept a certificate at first, but there is a high possibility that they could still come back and say: we have your certificates, but we still want you to go ahead and submit a CES for us. It seems to be less common in some schools in the Philippines, but there is no guarantee even Filipino nurses won't have to present this CES at some point to get the license. If North Dakota gets your transcripts from your school and a few other things, they can actually issue you a temporary license to give you a little time.
It's a 90-day temporary license to perform a credential assessment if they ask for it and follow up. OK. I don't know North Dakota that well, but the question was whether it was an annual assessment. Once they get your review, they don't need another one. Once they have confirmed that you meet the requirements, they should not ask for a second CES report.
Okay we have a question from Camillo saying NCLEX has been reviewed. My license is from New York. I apply for asylum. You can help with this to work with the visa screen in progress. Michelle, so my license, I'm waiting for your help with this. you can apply Sorry Sorry. It depends on where you were educated abroad or were educated in the US. You need a visa screen process. And depending on who you work with, they will help you apply. CGFNS and Joseph. Sylvie is now issuing Visa screens.
It doesn't matter where you trained, with us or abroad, you will need a visa screen when applying for a visa to work in the United States. Whether it is a permanent visa or a nonimmigrant visa. You can apply by thank you I suppose Michelle. And we have a question here about Texas and please help us our end that will make license endorsements for Texas to fix issues in a comment that Ireland should be fixed in all four subtests. This only applies to applicants planning to take NCLEX through Texas, but not those who are confirming, right? Please check.
Holly and Michelle, I'm not sure if you have any comment on this question. I think the question is, is the IELTS required in each subtest for both application and confirmation? Michelle Honey, English is not required for confirmation.
So with the NCLEX, I'll have to double-check that. There are several states that require six in all areas, and Texas could be one of them. I'm not done yet and I'm clicking my way through Texas. OK. It's also not fresh enough for me what the specific scores are. However, I am assuming that the nurse has not been trained in English or with English textbooks and that is why they require or ask for this at the time of application for immigration. But yeah, I'm going to try it now. If we have questions during the conversation that we didn't think of or didn't have a specific answer to because they're very specific questions, our team of experts at Licensure will go into the chat after the show and answer those specific questions for She.
Vidjaya Krishnan asks what about the Kentucky Board of Directors regarding license issuance and NCLEX Passport? I think the Kentucky board has a lot of nurses in Kentucky. I think Kentucky Board is actually a bit easier to deal with. Treasure? Yes, we do not typically work with them for NCLEX exam applications. We work with them more for support and they are quite timely and easier to work with them that way. I would have to look a little more closely at their NCLEX requirements regarding English, whether they issue a license by exam if they pass or not. So? I did not think. Better. I'm also wondering because to get your perm they are great at issuing temps but to get your perm you have to have the social. So I'm wondering if that might affect getting a license from Apex? Absolutely.
OK. We have so many questions that I'm just trying to pick out the ones we haven't already asked. So we have a question let me see here from Joy asking does it matter how much time elapses between passing the NCLEX and the date we arrive? Michelle, so we talked about that before. It depends on what they actually ask if you are licensed and after you pass NCLEX there is no problem if you pass NCLEX through California like this Indian nurse who passed California years before they can apply or they can apply by taking an exam in Illinois.
However, we recently found a case in Florida where this is true where it has been four years since they had never received a US. license. And in this case there are concerns. So I think they said they had to do a refresher course or something before they would be exhibited. 5 years. 5 years. Many Thanks. So our advice, and that's what we've said, is if you're trying to apply to anywhere that's licensed, and if you haven't, it's worth applying to Illinois just to get a license in the to get hands on. If it takes you several years to get here due to immigration or other reasons, I would say just take the best chance and get a license. And for us, Illinois would be a good place to do that right now. OK. Thank you Michelle
So I see the questions are coming fast and furious and we want to try and get through as many as we can, but I want you to just talk a little bit about the license approval process and what is required, what the general requirements are. So we have a graphic, Holly, would you mind just walking us through this licensed general requirements graphic very quickly? As we've said before, the best way to pass NCLEX is to do it through a state that will issue you a license. If so, it is your responsibility to maintain that license.
Some nurses choose to let it expire when they still have the opportunity to keep it active. And my advice is, as much as you're allowed to keep it active, you can also benefit from it if it expires, maybe put it in a state that allows you to use it for the entire time you use it are waiting to keep active. It's best to try to keep an active license as this makes the endorsement process much easier. If you have an active license at the time of application, the next step in most states is to consider whether you have that license and apply for endorsements that you go through a verification process. There is a website called Nurses that is run by NCSBN and most of the US. States use nurses for electronic verification of your US. Licensing from one state to another. Some states require you to validate the endorsement exam license, i.e. H. the state where you obtained your first license because you acquired and collected it and your current US.
License if these states are different. So if you're traveling through Illinois but then verified Tennessee and now want to go to another state, you may need to verify both. Currently the fee for this process is $30 for each board you verify. Confirmations may require further verification of credentials. I mentioned that earlier.
So if you want to go to Texas for work like in New York, Texas requires a CES so you need to do an eligibility check. Usually this goes through CGFNS or Joseph Silney. One of them are the most popular ones accepted by the state authority. Be very careful as the term CES is an evaluation term for eligibility check and we do eligibility checks for both Licenses and Visa Screen. Visa Screen may have many more agencies accepting these CES from than your state agency. So don't assume I'm a virtuoso. CES. So this mostly works now for all these different boards.
I've never heard of a board accepting this for licensing. OK. Many states allow you to have a license activated before you come, but it may not be the one you will be working on. So if possible try to have an active license before you come. Meet the requirements to maintain the active license and then when you arrive there may be some final requirements which could give the board your social security number so they can issue you that license. Or they may want some visa documents that show you are in the US. And have permission to work here.
Finally, license based on your primary state of residence, we have both single state and multi-state licenses. Most of the time, international nurses don't have an address here before they come. This is a residence. So when they arrive, they get a single state license for the state they support so they can start work. This license gives them full permission to work in that state. And if they want a multi-state license thereafter, they can work with the board to provide the appropriate identification that shows their primary state of residence, such as: B. A state ID card, and then obtain a multi-state license. But what they really need to go to work is the only state license in the state where they want to work.
ok thanks holly So I can't believe it at the end of the hour. how you flew Oh my god I'm so excited. I throw my microphone over. You can see this is live, everyone. So we have a lot of questions. The bad news is we're nearing the end of the hour. The good news is that Michelle and Harley will be back and we will be able to answer more of your licensing questions as this is a very confusing part of entering the United States.
We take one last question and it's from Mohit asking how much time does it take to complete the whole process after passing the NCLEX. Michelle, so I assume they are asking about the pass and click after the immigration process. So when we apply for an I-140, it depends on their job, where they are and what agency they are with, but the actual filing, if someone is actually applying for you, I'd say anywhere from 12 through 18 Months, more or less, whether you're accelerated and all that. So we'd hope so. 2024
If you start the process now, you will be here in 2024. Can I just give the person from Texas a short answer? Because one of my team has already emailed me the answer. OK, thanks, Nina. Just wait. Nina it's 6.5 for Ireland and six in each area but they take Pearson PTE and then also TOEFL IBT in Texas. And that's just for the exam. And it's the NCAA exam. And so is, if you weren't raised in English, with English textbooks.
OK, thank you very much, Michelle. Thank you Holli. That was so informative, so valuable. I know there are many nurses around the world right now who are breathing aside with relief that they are beginning to understand more about the licensing requirements to enter the United States. As I said before, it can feel so scary, so overwhelming, and expensive that it is so important to educate yourself about this process so that you can get to the United States as quickly and smoothly as possible. Before you leave, I just wanted to say a quick shout out to the Lefora administration team for your support to all nurses in the United States and around the world, I should say. And also just wanted to let everyone know about some upcoming shows. So we have a chart with some upcoming shows with Connectics College. For those of you who don't know, Connetics College is a live show. Visit our social media every Monday.
This is live class, both on the IELTS. On Friday 25th we have nine to write an IELTS course on site. We have NCLEX partners who will be speaking on various Connetics College topics. And then every Friday we have Onwards and Upwards, which can be found at 7:00 am Pacific Time on the Connetics USA Facebook page. Check what time it is in your local time. And on the 22nd we have the Immigration Expert Legal Panel that will answer your immigration questions.
So if you have any questions about immigration, please watch this show. On the 29th we have a very interesting show about transportation in the USA. And we have a lot of experts that come to us to talk about transportation, what's available in different parts of the US, how to buy a car, how to get a car loan, all different transportation-related topics. And our next Lefora talk show, which we do once a month, is in August on August 16th. And here we are going to talk specifically about the clinical aspect of the ICU. And this is your opportunity to interview nurses about working in the United States in the ICU. We did a poll on the forum asking which specialty to start with and ICU got the most votes. So the intensive care unit is it. So thank you everyone for joining us on the Lefora talk show. Thanks to Holly, thanks to Ms. Michelle and see you next month. Thank you all. Many Thanks. goodbye
FAQs
Can I take NCLEX without Cgfns? ›
The CGFNS Certification Program® is either required or accepted by approximately two-thirds of the State Boards of Nursing as a criterion for approval to take the NCLEX-RN® exam. The NCLEX-RN® exam is a requirement for licensure in the United States and Canada.
Which US state has the easiest requirements for NCLEX-RN application for foreign nurses? ›#1 Minnesota. Known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”, this midwestern state has a first-rate Board of Nursing with internationally educated requirements. They accept a wide range of English proficiency exams, their application fee is inexpensive, and their processing time is 5 business days once all documents are received ...
Is a US nursing degree valid in other countries? ›Your RN license in the US does not automatically transfer to another country. You will need to meet requirements for licensure in the new country based on established regulations set forth by the new country's regulatory nursing board (or BON as we call it here).
Which state does not require ielts for NCLEX? ›#1 Connecticut
They do not require an English language proficiency exam or a social security number to sit for the NCLEX exam, to apply for a license, or to renew a license.
New Mexico does not require CGFNS certification. It does require evaluation of nursing education credentials sent to the state board of nursing directly from a board-recognized credentialing agency or CGFNS. New York. New York does not require CGFNS certification.
Which comes first NCLEX or CGFNS? ›When successfully completed, applicants receive the CGFNS Certification Program Certificate, and an official verification can be sent to the respective state board requiring this assessment as a prerequisite for authorization to take the NCLEX® exam. The CGFNS Certification Program Certificate is valid for life.
How can I verify my nursing degree in USA? ›You will likely need to pass a licensure exam to be registered as a nurse by your state board. Before taking the licensure exam, first-level, general nurses educated outside the U.S. may choose to apply to the CGFNS Certification Program®, which consists of: a credentials evaluation.
How do I transfer my nursing license to the USA? ›...
5 Steps to Receiving a U.S. Nursing License
- Take the English-language proficiency test. ...
- Have your credentials evaluated. ...
- Obtain a visa. ...
- Pass the licensure exam and meet state requirements. ...
- Apply for a job.
Key Takeaway: While the USA offers better salary packages, Canada has better healthcare, more maternity leaves and other social benefits. Average work hours for Canada is slightly higher than that of the US. The annual leave structure of both countries is similar.
Can I study nursing in USA without IELTS? ›Is it possible to study in the USA without IELTS? Yes, it is possible to study in the USA without IELTS. Several prominent universities like California State University, University of Colorado etc. accept students without an IELTS score.
What is the minimum pass for NCLEX? ›
While it's possible to pass the NCLEX after answering all 145, it's also possible to pass the test with a minimum of 60 questions or any number in between. Keep in mind NCLEX has a time limit of five hours. If you haven't answered enough questions correctly when the clock runs out, you will fail the test.
Which state is easiest to get RN license? ›- Maine: 1-2 weeks.
- Maryland: 2-3 days.
- Missouri: 2 weeks.
- Nevada: 1-2 weeks.
- North Carolina: 1-2 weeks.
- North Dakota: 1-2 weeks.
- Texas: 2 weeks.
- Vermont: 3-5 business days.
- Neonatal Nurse. Babies who are born prematurely commonly experience a variety of health issues early on, and this is where a neonatal nurse comes in. ...
- Clinical Nurse. ...
- Dialysis Nurse. ...
- Nurse Practitioner. ...
- Nurse Advocate.
Step 5: Take the NCLEX
The state allows candidates to take the exam as many as 8 times per year. The test must be passed within three years of graduation from a nursing program. The NCLEX consists of 75-145 questions, which will cover topics including: Safe and Effective Care Environment.
If they fail, they'll need to wait 45 days before retesting. After failing three times, though, they'll need to complete a board-approved remediation program before the next retake. Candidates have six attempts to pass in total.
How many times can I take CGFNS exam? ›*There is no limit to the number of times you may purchase a form of the self-assessment through your account. Once you complete an assessment, you must submit another order if you wish to take that same form of the assessment again.
Can I apply visa screen without NCLEX? ›Applicants who wish to obtain an occupational visa to practice as nurses in the United States must present a CGFNS Certificate or a passing score on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) to provide proof of their nursing knowledge.
What state is the hardest to get a nursing license? ›- MARYLAND. ...
- MAINE. ...
- ALASKA. ...
- Georgia. ...
- Alabama. ...
- Hawaii. ...
- South Carolina. ...
- Kentucky. Kentucky is another state where nursing licensure turnaround time is typically quick, averaging around 7-14 business days.
Remember, with CES report, you do not need to take IELTS or any other English Competency Exam prior to taking NCLEX-RN examination. Step 3: Submit an application for licensure to your chosen state's Board of Nursing.
Can I take NCLEX without passport? ›General requirements would be your passport and Social Security Number information if available. In order to assist you properly, kindly indicate the state which you wish to be licensed in so that we can give you the specific requirements and fees for that state.
Does NCLEX certificate expire? ›
Do NCLEX results expire? What most aspiring nurses don't realize is that your NCLEX results do not expire. And you don't have to practice in the US within a year of passing the NCLEX exam. There are other important documents that do expire.
Can you work as a nurse in USA without NCLEX? ›Non-NCLEX nurses can still apply for plenty of job opportunities in the USA. While NCLEX certification is required for nursing positions in many hospitals and clinics, there are many other settings where non-NCLEX nurses can find employment.
How do you know if my degree is Recognised in USA? ›Check the CHEA or US Department of Education's Website
So the school says they're accredited and the accrediting agency confirms they've accredited the school.
| Nursing Career | 2019 Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) | $48,500 |
| Registered Nurse (RN) | $77,460 |
| Nurse Practitioners (NP) | $111,840 |
| Nurse Midwife (CNM) | $108,810 |
States That Require Nursing License Renewal Every 2 Years
The majority of US states require nurses to renew their license every two years.
Generally, the process of obtaining permanent residence may take between 12 to 18 months assuming that the immigrant visa quota from the RN's country of birth is not backlogged.
How do foreign nurses apply for NCLEX? ›- Submit the complete State BON application.
- Pay all fees associated with the application.
- Complete a criminal history report/background check.
- Provide verification of foreign nursing licenses.
- Provide verification of educational qualifications/credentials evaluation.
As of Dec 1, 2022, the average monthly pay for a Nurse in the United States is $5,054 a month. While ZipRecruiter is seeing monthly salaries as high as $8,042 and as low as $2,083, the majority of Nurse salaries currently range between $3,875 (25th percentile) to $5,833 (75th percentile) across the United States.
Are US salaries higher than Canada? ›An online comparison by Numbeo.com found that the average income of a Canadian and an American is almost the same. The average tax deducted income in Canada is $36,000 per year, meaning that one can earn $3,000 a year.
Can I move to USA from Canada as a nurse? ›The great news for Canadian citizens is that relocation to the US is quick and easy. Once you've passed your NCLEX-RN examination and have acquired your visa screen, your TN visa will usually be ready in a couple of weeks.
Does us accept without IELTS? ›
Yes, it is possible to study in the USA without IELTS given that you have completed your senior secondary education or graduated with English as the medium of instruction in the program or they have pursued studies in an English-speaking country for a certain duration.
Can I work as a nurse in USA without experience? ›Q. How much clinical experience do I need before working in the USA as a Medliant Registered Nurse? A. 24 months of full-time hospital experience (in a hospital with 100+ beds) as a Registered Nurse is needed!
Can I apply USA without IELTS? ›If you have an international baccalaureate degree or have previously studied English, you can apply for a USA study visa without IELTS.
Can you pass the NCLEX with 50%? ›The NCLEX is scored using dichotomous scoring, so you can either pass or fail the exam. Currently, to pass the NCLEX-RN, the standard is 0.00 logits–or answer questions correctly at least 50% of the time.
How do you pass the NCLEX if you fail? ›- Acknowledge the fact that you were unsuccessful. ...
- Find out the NCLEX retake policy for your state. ...
- Consider talking with your former nursing instructor. ...
- Understand why you failed NCLEX the first time. ...
- Familiarize yourself with the NCLEX content areas.
The number of questions you answered is an indication of how close you were to the passing standard. Only those candidates whose performance was close to the passing standard had to answer the maximum number of questions (130 for NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN).
How long does it take to get a Connecticut nursing license? ›How Long Does it Take to get a CT Nursing License? It takes approximately four weeks to receive a permanent nursing license in Connecticut after all documentation has been received.
Is NCLEX hard to pass? ›NCLEX Pass Rates
The second-attempt pass rate for domestically-educated students taking the test was 45.56%. These results demonstrate that it is a pretty difficult test. The questions are designed to test your critical thinking, knowledge of the nursing process, and assessment skills.
- New York. New York has come in as #1 among the best states for nurses. ...
- Colorado. Colorado was the fourth state in the nation to join the Nurse Licensure Compact. ...
- Maryland. ...
- 4. California. ...
- Texas. ...
- Arizona. ...
- Washington. ...
- Georgia.
Most states require the CGFNS Certificate from nurses educated abroad before they can take the NCLEX-RN® examination. Applicants who successfully complete the VisaScreen® program will receive a VisaScreen Certificate.
Can you just take the NCLEX? ›
You cannot take the NCLEX without passing a nursing program. You either have to pass an LPN program, get an associate's degree in nursing (ADN, ASN, AAS), a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN), or pass one of the few remaining diploma programs in the country.
Can foreigners take the NCLEX? ›To begin applying for the NCLEX as a foreign-educated nurse, you must be able to meet the following general requirements: Submit the complete State BON application. Pay all fees associated with the application. Complete a criminal history report/background check.
Is CGFNS and NCLEX the same? ›The CGFNS Certification Program is designed ONLY for first-level, general nurses educated and/or licensed outside the United States who wish to assess their chances of passing the NCLEX-RN® examination and attaining licensure to practice as registered nurses within the United States.
What is the passing score for CGFNS exam? ›The exam is 165 items, the passing mark is 411.
What is the passing score for NCLEX? ›While it's possible to pass the NCLEX after answering all 145, it's also possible to pass the test with a minimum of 60 questions or any number in between. Keep in mind NCLEX has a time limit of five hours. If you haven't answered enough questions correctly when the clock runs out, you will fail the test.
What happens if you never pass the NCLEX? ›If you didn't pass the exam, you'll receive a NCLEX Candidate Performance Report (CPR). The CPR is an individualized document that shows how a candidate performed in each of the test plan content areas. Candidates who fail the exam can use the CPR as a guide to prepare them to retake the exam.
What happens if you fail NCLEX? ›The NCSBN Retake Policy: What to Know and Do
You can retake the NCLEX 45 days after the date of your previous examination, up to eight times in a year. Before you reapply, check with your state's Nursing Review Board (NRB) to find out if there are different timeframes or limits for annual testing attempts.
Without taking the NCLEX, you can apply for nursing jobs in the USA. One of the most lucrative careers in the United States right now is nursing.
Why do people fail the NCLEX? ›NCLEX-RN candidates may fail the exam for any number of reasons. You may have been unsuccessful due to test anxiety or fatigue. On the other hand, you may have tested too soon and not given yourself enough time to prepare for the exam adequately. Whatever the reason you failed the NCLEX-RN, do not give up.
Which is harder CGFNS or NCLEX? ›most find the cgfns exam much harder than the nclex rn exam.
How do I get a nursing license in USA? ›
The first step toward earning a nursing license is to complete a nursing education program that meets a state's nursing regulatory board's standards of approval. The graduate would then apply and pay a fee to a state board of nursing to sit for the NCLEX®-RN or -PN exam.
How many questions are on the CGFNS exam? ›CGFNS Qualifying Exam
Applicants are given two hours and 30 minutes for Part 1, which includes 150 questions. After breaking for lunch, applicants are given one hour and 50 minutes to complete Part 2, consisting of 110 questions.