Subscribe to Notes on Nursing, our monthly news digest.

Work in the US

Are you a nurse looking to come work in the US? Here are the steps for getting started.
work in the US
Qualifications
You’re eligible to work in the US if you’re a Registered Nurse in your home country. Contact the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) to see if you're qualified.
The NCLEX-RN
When you know where in the US you’d like to work, you can apply to that state’s Board of Nursing and take the NCLEX-RN. This is a standardized test that’ll earn you a Registered Nurse license. It may include an English language proficiency test.
  • 01
  • 02
  • 03
01
Did you know
The nursing profession is growing twice as fast as the average occupation in the US.
02
Did you know
Jobs for Registered Nurses in the US will increase 15% by 2026.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Apr 2018



03
Did you know
Registered Nurses make up the largest segment of the US health workforce.
Find a job
Once you have your Registered Nurse license, you can look for a job through a nursing recruitment agency or US-based employer. When you have received a job offer, you can apply for a US visa.
Get a visa
The last step is to apply for a nonimmigrant visa that will allow you to work in the US. Citizens of Canada or Mexico can apply for a Trade National Visa (TN), which is a special arrangement that each of these countries have with the US.
Get tips on applying for jobs in the U.S.
Group of smiling nurses in scrubs holding folders
Group of smiling nurses in scrubs holding folders
Subscribe to Notes on Nursing, our monthly news digest.
Explore issues of our monthly newsletter, which features the many ways nurses' innovation and leadership drive transformative change in healthcare.