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2005 News and Alerts Due to the age of these news items, information (including links) may be outdated.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. JANUARY 20, 2005 Special notice for Canadian health care workers in the United States Jointly Prepared by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) The final rule implementing Section 343 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 became effective on September 23, 2003. This rule requires that Canadian nurses entering the United States to work under Trade NAFTA or applying for a temporary or permanent occupational visa must obtain an International Commission on Healthcare Professions VisaScreen® certificate. To date, CGFNS is the only recognized entity to provide such services by the U.S. federal government. The final rule allowed for a transition period during which the Canadian nurse must obtain the VisaScreen®. That transition period ended on July 25, 2004. However, the Department of Homeland Security has provided an extension of that deadline for health professionals working under Trade NAFTA who were employed and licensed in the United States prior to September 23, 2003. The new deadline for health care professionals who qualify is July 26, 2005. Here are the VisaScreen® requirements applicable to foreign nurses:
Canadian nurses interested in applying for the CGFNS Qualifying ExamSM may Apply online with CGFNS Connect. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) will grant qualified candidates eligibility to take the NCLEX® examination to help satisfy the VisaScreen® requirements, through September 30, 2005. If currently licensed by a state or territorial board of nursing, candidates may choose to apply to either NCSBN at www.ncsbn.org/testing/nclexforvisascreen.asp or to one of the following boards of nursing: Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, or the Virgin Islands. For more information on registering with a state board of nursing to take the NCLEX® examination, contact any of the above states through the link: www.ncsbn.org/regulation/boardsofnursing_boards_of_nursing_board.asp. It should be noted that this is for immigration purposes only, and applicants seeking a state or territorial license should contact the board of nursing in the state they intend to work in for the specifics of what they need to obtain a state or territorial license. An International Commission on Healthcare Professions VisaScreen® certificate is issued after a complete evaluation of the nurse’s credentials to verify that he or she meets the minimum federal requirements. The International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP), a division of CGFNS, administers this screening process. The VisaScreen®: Visa Credentials Assessment consists of the following parts:
NOTE: All English language proficiency scores are valid for up to two years from the date of administration. Licensed practical or vocational nurses should take the NCLEX-PN® (www.ncsbn.org) and contact the U.S. Federal Government about visa screening requirements. 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) 222 8454. |