Migrating to the US as a Registered Nurse from Nigeria

From my recent findings and observations, I’ve discovered that many people experience difficulties migrating to the U.S. as Registered Nurses from Nigeria.

Some of the reasons were not thoroughly educated or given proper guidelines on how to start their migration journey while others lacked the basic requirements.

Migrating to the U.S. as a Registered Nurse from Nigeria is easy and doesn’t take much time. In fact, I know of someone who migrated to the U.S. in 2014 and is now working as a full-time Nurse there.

If you want to achieve that, too, now is the perfect time to prepare. You need to gather the right documents and have enough funds to cover all expenses during your migration process.

Currently, U.S. migration law might make it very difficult for you and other foreign nurses to get into the United States of America and obtain a Nursing license, but you don’t need to panic. All you need to do is obtain the proper visas and paperwork from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service Department and have a proper license for the U.S.

This content will provide you with all other requirements needed for you to migrate to the U.S. as a Registered Nurse from Nigeria. Make sure you read till the end.

Understanding the basic educational requirements

First and foremost, internationally educated nurses and registered Nurses from Nigeria who want to migrate to the U.S. must meet the following educational requirements.

1. Graduation: You must Graduate from an accredited Registered Nursing Program such as an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
2. Certification: You have been licensed as a Registered Nurse in Nigeria
3. Work experience: You must have practized as a Registered Nurse (RN) for at least two years
4. Language: you must have a high level of English Language Proficiency

Demonstrate English proficiency

English Proficiency is one of the educational requirements you need to be able to migrate to the U.S.

To prove the level of your English Proficiency, you need to take and pass any of these English tests.

• English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC)
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

As a registered nurse from Nigeria, it is recommended you take either the TOEFL or IELTS test. After the test, the result will be sent to the state Nursing Board.

Pass the National Council Licensing Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX – RN)

After meeting all necessary educational requirements, the next step is to apply for NCLEX in the state where you want to get your nursing job.

To apply and take the NCLEX-RN exam, you need to register with Pearson Vue, which costs about $200 plus additional foreign fees.

The NCLEX examination is taken in the following countries

• Australia
• Canada
• England
• China
• France
• Israel
• South Africa
• Spain
• Turkey
• United Kingdom
• Germany
• Hong Kong
• India
• Japan
• Mexico
• Philippines
• Puerto Rico
• Taiwan
• South Korea

Obtain credential evaluations

The State of Boars Nursing will mandate you to apply to the Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing School, CGFNS, a company employed by the State Board of Nursing, to ensure that foreign nurses meet the basic requirements and are to write the NCLEX exam.

The aim of applying to CGFNS is to have your academic and professional documents/ credentials evaluated to ensure that they are authentic and that what you’ve studied is compatible with U.S. nursing Standards.

CGFNS will conduct credential verification and review your nursing school transcripts and educational history from your country of origin.

There are three major evaluation reports needed when evaluating your credentials, and they include

Credential Evaluation Service Professional Report:

This report provides the basic information about you to the State Board of Nursing, and the information needed that you provide are

• English Requirement
• Secondary School Documents
• Licensure Documents from your Home Country
• Nursing Education Documents from your Home County
• A fee of $350

CGFNS Certification Program

This evaluation report requires that you take the CGFNS qualifying examination and include

• Everything included in the Credential Evaluation Service Professional Report
• CGFNS Qualifying Exam
• A fee of $445

The aim of taking the CGFNS qualifying exam is to ascertain whether you will be able to care for patients in America when you are employed.

You are required to have a wide range of knowledge in the nursing profession and a minimum number of classroom and clinical hours in certain nursing fields, such as pediatric nursing, psychiatric nursing, neonatal nursing, and adult medical/ surgical nursing.

The CGFN Qualifying examination is held three times a year at over 40 centres worldwide; since you are in Nigeria, it is advisable to travel to South Africa to test for the exam.

VisaScreen: Visa Credentials Assessment

The Visa Credential Assessment and the CGFN certification program requirements enable you to obtain a work visa after passing the NCLEX-RN exam. To get the Visa Credentials Assessment done, you will have to pay an application fee of $540

Finding a job as a nurse in the U.S.

After having all your documents evaluated by the CGFN, meeting the State Board of Nursing Requirements and passing the licensure exam, you are now qualified and fully ready to work in the United States of America as a certified Registered Nurse.

You can get the help of an ethical nursing recruiter or an Recruiting Agency to help you find a U.S. Nursing Job or look for nursing jobs online by yourself. This ethical nursing recruiter can also act as your “U.S.-based employer” and help you with your immigrant visa.

Applying for a nursing work visa

If you’ve finally received a job offer and started working, you need to get your employment or work visa.

There are different types of work visa, and they include

Mexican and Canadian Nurses-TN Visa

The TN Visa is for Mexican and Canadian Nurses offered employment in the U.S.

H1-B Visa

The H1-B Temporary Work Visa is for Nurses who hold a four-year degree and fulfill specialized nursing role. Some of  Specialized roles  includes critical care nurses, emergency room nurses, or cardiology nurses.

Having the H1-B Temporary Work Visa allows you to apply for a Green Card.

EB-3 Visa

An EB-3 Visa is also called a green card or permanent residency visa. in order to be issued the EB- 3 visa, you must have a minimum of two years of education from an accredited educational institution and also have a license to work in the country where you received your education.

Holding this visa allows you to work at a hospital in the US or other medical facility for up to ten years. With the EB-3 Visa, you are allowed to bring your spouse and children under 21 years of age to the United States.

Understanding the requirements for Nigerian nurses wanting to work in the U.S.

Most Nigerian Nurses want to work in the U.S. because of the benefits attached to working in that country. With the high demand for nurses in the United States, obtaining a nursing job is possible.

Working in the U.S. as a Nigerian Nurse provides a lot of experience, as you will be working with experts and professionals in the nursing field.

At the end of your working period, you can bring home this knowledge, experience, and new technological methods to improve the country’s healthcare system.

One reason most Nigerian nurses want to work in the U.S. is the favourable working conditions. Nurses in the U.S. are respected and paid higher salaries than those working in Nigeria.

Process for obtaining a nursing license

The process for obtaining a licence as a Nigerian is much more complex and tedious than just writing and passing the NCLEX exams.

You must meet the following requirements to get a license and start practising in the U.S.

• Complete a nursing education program that meets the standards and specifications of the state nursing regulatory board.
• Upon completing your nursing program, you must apply and pay the state board of nursing fee to sit for the NCLEX-RN Exam.
• Demonstrate a high level of English Proficiency.
• Have your documents verified and evaluated by CGFN.
• Undertake and Pass the NCLEX exam.

Seeking assistance from nursing organizations and recruitment agencies

After meeting all the migration requirements and being in the U.S., you can seek assistance from nursing recruiters or agencies.

Agencies are well-versed in helping nurses work in the U.S. and have a system to ensure that all your document is completed accurately.

These nursing agencies also ensure you find the nursing positions that best suit your nursing career.

FAQS | Migrating to the US as a Registered Nurse from Nigeria

Conclusion

Migrating to the U.S. as a registered nurse from Nigeria is accessible and achievable if you carefully follow the steps above. With proper preparation and planning, you can make your dreams and ambition come true faster than you can ever imagine.

One of the key steps you need to take in order to avoid being affected by U.S. Immigration law is to speak to staffing agencies, immigration attorney or an immigration lawyer to make sure all laws are followed.

Note that the following foreign nurses are not eligible to work in the U.S.

• Nurses with less than two years of experience
• Nurses without a four-year nursing degree
• Individuals you have committed a crime
• Nurses without a visa