Immigration
Information
To work in the United States, foreign
nurses must obtain a visa issued by the United States Immigration
and Naturalization Service. While this can sometimes be quite
complicated, we will guide you through every stage of this
process. The following is an overview of the H-1B visa, and
permanent residency ("green card") application process.
It will provide basic immigration information for foreign
nurses who want to work in the United States and for employers
who are interested in hiring a foreign Registered Nurse. It
should not be conceived as legal advice or legal direction.
H-1B
Visas
H-1B visas are available for professional workers with at least
a bachelor's degree (or its equivalent work experience) who
seek entry into the United States to work in a 'speciality occupation'.
A registered nurse may obtain an H-1B visa if he/she will be
working in a supervisory or highly specialized capacity, and
if the facility demonstrates that it requires all the nurses
it employs to possess a bachelor's degree.
Schedule
A Labor Certifications ("Green Card" Process)
The Department of Labor has determined that there are some job
occupations in which there is a chronic shortage of workers,
one of which is registered nursing. Nurses who have passed the
Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools Examination
or possess an unrestricted license to practice nursing in the
state in which they intend to work are eligible to seek a Schedule
A labor certification. The effect of the Schedule A classification
is that the position is "pre-certified" and no application
needs to be filed with the Department of Labor. Instead, the
labor certification and the I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien
Worker can be filed together directly with the INS.
INS Processing
Times
INS processing times for H-1B, TN and "green card"
processing often depends on job location, INS workload and other
governmental factors. Through the assistance of our immigration
lawyers, we will expeditiously process all immigration applications.
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