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Our knowledgeable staff will assist you in
understanding and fulfilling immigration requirements.
Eligibility
Canadian citizens that are
Registered Nurses may work in the US under provisions set by the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).Access Nurses will assist you
through the entire process, including entry requirements for family
with you.
Entering
the US
As a Canadian citizen, you must enter the US
from a designated port of entry. These include:
-Any
INS (Immigration & Naturalization Service) checkpoint at a US/Canada
or US/Mexico border
-International airports in foreign countries
where INS conducts pre-inspection
-Airports in the US that receive travelers
from foreign countries
Documentation
To be eligible to enter the US under NAFTA, you must present
the following documents:
-RN education diploma
-Signed, original employment offer letter from US employer.Alda
Professional Placement will provide for you
-Canadian birth or naturalization certificate and/or passport
providing Canadian citizenship for everyone traveling
-Port of Entry/INS processing fee $50 USD base fee and $6 USD for each
person
-Marriage certificate of any other evidence of legal name changes
-Current Canadian RN license (advisable, not required)
-Current RN license for state of intended employment (See licensure
below)
Please note that all documents must be originals or certified copies.
Documents must be prepared in English. Certified translations may be
accepted. Non-Canadian citizen dependents of Canadian nurses may require
other arrangements.
Once Port of Entry processing is complete, the INS officer will issue an
arrival/departure record card to each applicant. Typically, this is for
a period of 12 months. This card is called an I-94 document and is the
authorization to work and live in the United States.
In addition to providing
the above documentation, Canadian nurses must possess valid United
States Nursing License.
- Visa Screen Certificate - This certificate will be required
by U.S. Immigration after July 24, 2004, for all nonimmigrant and
immigrant healthcare workers to gain entrance into the United States
to work on a TN Visa. In order to receive your Visa Screen
Certificate, you must have passed either NCLEX-RN or the CGFNS exam
and you must apply for your Visa Screen through the Commission on
Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. Issuance of the Visa Screen can
be lengthy so we encourage you to start the application process now.
For more information and to apply for the Visa Screen Certificate
and/or the CGFNS exam, please visit the Commission on Graduates of
Foreign Nursing School's website at
www.cgfns.org.
Please note that some US states accept Canadian licensure:
Alabama
Alaska
Connecticut Delaware Florida Indiana
Kentucky Louisiana
Maine
Massachusetts Missouri
New
Hampshire
New Mexico North Carolina Pennsylvania
Tennessee Wisconsin
Virgin Islands
For states that accept
Canadian licensure, the entire immigration process may only take a few
days. For all other states, the process typically takes 1 to 3 months.
Click on continue
for more information on licensure.
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