|
2005 News and Alerts Due to the age of these news items, information (including links) may be outdated.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. MARCH 29, 2005 Credentials certification deadline approaching for Trade NAFTA The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) has issued a reminder to selected Canadian and Mexican health care professionals working in the United States about a credentials certification deadline that is fast approaching. The deadline of July 26, 2005, affects registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and medical technologists who are working under Trade NAFTA status, and who were employed and licensed in the United States prior to September 23, 2003. The credentials certification includes an educational analysis, licensure validation, English language proficiency assessment (not required if educated in Canada, outside of Quebec), and in the case of nurses, a passing score on an approved exam of nursing knowledge. The VisaScreen®: Visa Credentials Assessment is a credentials certification program administered by the International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP), a division of CGFNS. CGFNS is the only federally approved credentialing organization for all four professions listed above. According to Barbara L. Nichols, CGFNS chief executive officer, the need for certification of Canadian and Mexican health care worker credentials arises from Section 343 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), which became effective September 23, 2003. “The rule required that certain Canadian health professionals entering the U.S. to work under Trade NAFTA, or applying for a temporary or permanent occupational visa, must have their credentials certified. In July 2004, the Department of Homeland Security extended the deadline to July 26, 2005, but only for professionals who were already employed and licensed in the United States prior to September 23, 2003,” Nichols notes. Nichols says, “We strongly urge all health care workers whose credentials need to be certified under Section 343 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) to quickly initiate and follow up on the process, since arranging for transmission of the required documentation from the educational or licensing institution may take several months. CGFNS will work to expedite its review of this category of applications, but can only do so once all required foreign documentation is received.” 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. |
|
