1. What are the steps I must take from beginning to end?
1. Apply for your State License through the Board of Nursing of your choice.
2. Send your $200 to Pearson Vue to receive your ATT # and book your NCLEX exam date.
3. Apply for your Visa Screen Certificate through the CFGNS.
4. Find an employer.
5. Obtain your TN letter from the employer.
6. Take the TN letter to the border, obtain your TN Visa.
7. Apply for the SSN once you are living in the U.S.
2. What is the NCLEX?
NCLEX stands for the National Council Licensure Examination for registered nurses.
3. Do I have to go to the U.S. to write the NCLEX?
There are 3 Canadian sites: Burnaby, BC, Toronto, ON, and Montreal, QC.
4. Do I need to write the NCLEX before I can start work in the U.S.?
Yes, you need to write the NCLEX as this is the first step to receiving permission to work in the U.S.
5. Do I have to have my Canadian license before I can write the NCLEX?
No, but you must have graduated from a 4 year nursing degree or diploma program.
6. When can I apply to write the NCLEX?
After you have completed and returned the application form to the Board of Nursing and feel you are ready to write the exam, you will send $200 to Pearson Vue the company that manages the test sites. You will receive your ATT # (approval number) from Pearson Vue; their phone number is 1-866-49-NCLEX or 1-866-496-2539. You then call to book your exam date.
7. How long will it take to hear the results of the NCLEX?
You should have your results within 2 weeks or you can pay an additional fee and find your results on the website 3 days after writing the exam.
8. What is the CGFNS?
Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools.
9. What is the Visa Screen Certificate?
It is a Health Care Workers Certificate obtained from the CGFNS verifying you are a qualified nurse.
10. Do I need to be a Canadian citizen to work in the U.S.?
As a Canadian citizen you will qualify for a TN Visa or work permit. As a landed immigrant you must be sponsored by a U.S. hospital to obtain a work permit.
11. What are the main costs including writing the NCLEX?
State License ($105 US and up), NCLEX ($200 US to write in the U.S., $350 US to write in Canada), Visa Screen Certificate ($398 US + $50 US handling charge), FBI Criminal Check ($35 US), TN Visa ($56 US).
12. How long does the TN Visa Last?
It is a 1 year temporary work permit. You can renew it for up to 10 years on a yearly basis.
13. How do I renew the TN Visa?
You must renew the visa at the Canadian border which means coming back to Canada for 1 day.
14. If I have my Canadian license but trained in another country, what proof do I have to provide that I am a trained nurse; will my Canadian license be enough?
You must have the school where you obtained your original nursing degree send the school transcripts to the Board of Nursing you have gone through to obtain your U.S. license.
15. As a landed immigrant, working in Canada but not as a nurse, can I write the NCLEX?
Yes, you can write the NCLEX once you have received permission to do so.
