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2004 News and Alerts Due to the age of these news items, information (including links) may be outdated. Please use the search feature at the top of the page to find more current information on the subject or to find a current link. APRIL 28, 2004 CGFNS designates Trinidad and Tobago as 212(r) countries under The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) announced that it has added Trinidad and Tobago to the list of English exempt countries under Section 212(r) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. Nurses from countries who qualify under Section 212(r) are eligible for this alternative screening of their professional credentials if they wish to immigrate to the United States. Effective April 1, 2004, Trinidad and Tobago has joined Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States, and the United Kingdom as 212(r) designated countries. 212(r) status exempts nurses from English language proficiency examinations and qualifies them to receive a Certified Statement from CGFNS as an alternative process in lieu of a VisaScreen™ certificate. CGFNS, a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was designated by the U.S. Congress in 1996 to manage a health care worker visa certification program. In response, CGFNS established a VisaScreen™ program to assess credentials of foreign health care workers and provide the government-required visa certificate now mandated by new Department of Homeland Security rules. CGFNS has been given the authority to designate countries eligible for the exemption under Section 212(r) if the quality of nursing education in that country and the English language proficiency of those who complete such programs is sufficient. Related to this announcement, CGFNS has designated the state of Michigan as a state that qualifies under Section 212(r). The nurse who qualifies under Section 212(r) must hold a license by examination and not by endorsement in Michigan and four other states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois and New York. To qualify for the Certified Statement, foreign educated nurses from a Section 212(r) designated country must hold a valid and unrestricted license in the state where he or she intends to be employed; the state must verify that the license is valid and unencumbered; pass the NCLEX-RN® exam; and have graduated from a nursing program in which the language of instruction was conducted in English. “The ability to designate English exempt countries under Section 212(r) enables CGFNS to more efficiently serve the needs of foreign educated nurses seeking U.S.-based employment, while still maintaining the vigorous and high standards for nursing care and practice that we are charged to protect,” said Barbara L. Nichols, CGFNS Chief Executive Officer. CGFNS is an immigration-neutral, nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and is an internationally recognized authority on the education, registration and licensure of nurses worldwide. CGFNS’s mission is to provide responsible leadership in the delivery of relevant services to the global nursing and health care community. The organization was founded in 1977 through a collaborative effort by representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor; Department of Health, Education and Welfare (now the Department of Health and Human Services); the Immigration and Naturalization Service; and representatives from nursing organizations, including the American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing. For additional information about CGFNS and its services, contact: CGFNS International, 3600 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651 USA; telephone: +1 (215) 349 8767; fax: +1 (215) 349 0026. |
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