NURSING OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD

Services to the Country 1. acquire better perspective of the actual health status of the people in the country; 2. participate in and contribute to the implementation of the national health programs for the people; 3. develop skills not only in the cure and preventive aspects of care but also in the art of good working relationships with the health team and the community; 4. gain more experience in a variety of situations and enable them to be more mature in judgment; 5. acquire the satisfaction of having been able to serve our people first before serving other Reasons for working abroad 1. opportunity to see other places 2. gain more experience 3. financial reasons Categories 1. Immigrant 2. Short term Employment SHORT TERM EMPLOYMENT  The Department of Labor and Employment now arranges for nurses to go to countries which need their services.  Public Employment Office of the Department of Labor and Employment applications are filed  Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) recruits nurses for this office. If applicants are not enough, then they advertise in newspapers.  POEA is the central government authority under the Department of Labor and Employment in charge of regulating the employment of Filipino workers and professionals overseas. The POEA likewise administers a host of services to promote and facilitate the employment of qualified Filipino manpower in many parts of the globe.  Advantages of applying to POEA for an overseas job 1. No placement fee 2. Employers/workers are closely monitored to avoid incidence of welfare / legal cases 3. Provision of Employee Guarantee Trust Fund 4. Processing cycle time is kept at a minimum to meet deployment date  Applicant s requirement: a. School records b. Nursing diplomas c. Record of clinical experience

d. Result of board examination in the different subjects e. Certificate of registration f. Certificate of employment g. Passport-size photographs  CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) and NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) United States  No required board examination in Germany, Vienna, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle East countries

NORTH AMERICA United States  1965 Amendment of U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act  Preferences for nationals of all countries outside the Western Hemisphere CLASS FIRST CLASS SECOND PREFERENCE DESCRIPTION Unmarried sons and daughters of United States citizens Spouses and unmarried sons and daughters of aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence Members of the profession or persons of exceptional ability in the sciences or the arts Married sons and daughters of United States citizens Brothers and sisters of United States citizens Skilled or unskilled workers in short supply Refugees

THIRD PREFERENCE

FOURTH PREFERENCE FIFTH PREFERENCE SIXTH PREFERENCE SEVENTH PREFERENCE

In order to work in the USA as a Registered Nurse: A. B. C. D. E. F. G. Overview of USA Nursing Eligibility Requiremets CGFNS Languange Skills NCLEX RN Visa Application

 Overview y The salary and benefits package that a nurse receive in the USA can vary significantly from state to state. Health Insurance is normally included in the benefits package, but the type of cover offered can also vary. Holiday entitlement will usually be between 2 and 4 weeks a year.  Qualifications: y In the USA the category of first-level of nurse is the Registered Nurse (RN). To be eligible to nurse in America you must be a registered general nurse with at least one-year postgraduate experience and have good English language skills.  Requirements y Each USA state has a nursing board. Each nursing board has its own set of regulations for overseas-trained nurses. To work in the USA as an RN, you have to be licensed by the relevant state board of nursing and the license is only valid for that particular state. y To become a licensed nurse in the USA, most states have two main requirements: 1. CGFNS and 2. NCLEX-RN  CGFNS y The CGFNS Certification Program is designed for first-level, general nurses educated and licensed outside of the United States who wish to assess their chances of passing the U.S. registered nurse licensing exam, the NCLEX-RN, and attaining licensure as registered nurses within the United States. y The certification program consists of three steps. 1. a Credentials Review: CGFNS evaluates an applicant s education and registration credentials to certify that the applicant is a first-level general nurse and meets all of the registration requirements to be licensed as a professional in that field 2. a one-day Qualifying Exam of Nursing Knowledge: The actual exam is divided into two parts with a total of 260 questions. The qualifying exam measures the applicant s knowledge and is based on what nurses must know and do when they practice nursing in the United States. The qualifying exam is held 4 times a year in over 40 countries in the world. 3. an English language proficiency exam. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of English for International Communications (TOEIC) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are currently being used to meet the English language proficiency requirement of the Certification Program. TOEFL and TOEIC are administered worldwide by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). IELTS is jointly managed by: British Council, and IDP: IELTS Australia. y Upon successful completion of all three elements of the Certification Program, applicants are awarded a CGFNS Certificate. The certificate helps applicants in three ways: 1. The certificate will help applicants meet state requirements for the registered nurse licensure exam. 2. CGFNS certificate holders consistently have a higher rate of success on the NCLEX-RN examination than internationally educated nurses who do not hold the certificate. 3. The CGFNS Certificate helps applicants to qualify for an occupational visa.

 Language Tests y Most nurses educated outside the USA must pass an approved English Language exam before practicing nursing in America. Applicants who received their nursing education in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago or the United Kingdom, and their text books and instruction were in English, do not need to take a language test.  NCLEX RN y World-Wide NCLEX Test Centres : NCLEX in USA, London, Seoul and Hong Kong.  Visa Application y U.S. Immigration law now requires that healthcare professionals, other than physicians, complete a screening program in order to qualify for certain occupational visas. VisaScreen , a program offered by The International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP), a division of CGFNS, enables healthcare professionals to meet this requirement by verifying and evaluating their credentials to ensure that they meet the government s minimum eligibility standards. y The VisaScreen Certificate is issued directly to the applicant who successfully completed all of the requirements of the program. The applicant then presents it to a consular office or attorney general (when applicable) as part of a visa application.

Canada  Application : Canadian Embassy in Makati  Canadian Immigration Authorities  Department of Manpower and Immigration of Canada prescribes and issues forms  Requirements y Full name y Training in any trade partnership y Sex y Industry or profession y Address y Present occupation y Height y Languages spoken y Any physical disability y Employment record for y Citizenship the last 10 years y Date and place of birth y The applicant and his y Marital status family s health record y Religious denomination y Conviction of any y Intended occupation in offense or previously Canada refused admission to or y School records deported from Canada  Requirements for Registration of Graduates of other Countries  Write to the Registrar of the Nurses Association of the province where they wish to practice.  Must hold a provincial license and then be registered as members of the respective provincial association of nurses. Registration is undertaken by the nurses association. (except : Ontario : College of Nurses of Ontario)  Proficiency in English or French, or both is required . Applicants may be required to pass a test to provide a proof or competency in the English or French language, such as the

Test of English as a Foreign Language (known as TOEFL), the Test of Spoken English (known as TSE) and the Test for written English (known as TWE).  Canadian Registered Nurse Examination y The provincial and territorial nursing regulatory authorities administer the exam and determine eligibility to write it. y The purpose of the CRNE is to protect the public by ensuring that the entry-level registered nurse possesses the competencies required to practise safely and effectively. AUSTRALIA Australia  Australian Embassy in Manila  Documents to be completed and attached to the application y Six (6) passport photographs y Birth certificate y Civil status for persons aged sixteen and above. These may be obtained from the parish church, civil registrar, or by statutory declaration y Copies of reference from previous employers y Copies of certificates and transcripts of studies from high school; of if a college graduate, from the college  Registered Nurse in the Philippines  Register in a State or Territory in Australia before you can apply for a working visa or permanent resident visa. The registration bodies of the six states and two territories vary in their registration process, costs and requirements.  As a general rule, Philippine educated nurses are required to pass an English Test, then the nursing competency test. y For the English test, one must either obtain an overall passmark of 7 in the International English Language Testing System Academic module (IELTS) or Level B pass in the Occupational English Test (OET). y Then required to pass a nursing competency test (theoretical and clinical) before getting registered as nurse in Australia.  In regard to visas, generally, one can be granted a non-working visa to undertake the nursing competency test in Australia. If you pass the test, you will be eligible for nursing registration. If you fail the nursing test, your alternative is to apply for student visa to study for one year which will allow you to work for 20 hours per week. After completing the course requirements, you will be eligible for nursing registration in Australia. Once registered as nurse in any state or territory of Australia, your non-working visa or student visa can usually be converted to a working visa for one year up to four years. It is possible to do the change in Australia as soon as we find a qualified sponsoring employer for you. New Zealand  Registration Requirements Internationally qualified nurses applying for registration in New Zealand must meet the following criteria:

y y

y y

 Criterion 1. The applicant is to establish her/his identity Evidence of applicant s initial registration in his/her home country; a certified copy of current passport; marriage certificate;  Criterion 2. The applicant is required to complete an English Language Assessment (ELA) before applying for New Zealand registration (except applicants with Australian registration) A score of seven (7) in all areas of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (Academic Test); or a B pass in all areas of the Occupational English Test (OET)  Criterion 3. The applicant is assessed as meeting New Zealand educational standards Provide a verified documentary evidence that your qualifications and/or qualifications and experience meet the educational standards for nursing in New Applicant s training institution must complete the Transcript Request Form and return it directly to the Nursing Council of New Zealand.  Criterion 4. The applicant demonstrates that (s)he is fit for registration Documentary evidence of fitness to practise is produced in the form of a letter of good standing. Statutory declaration (on the application form) that the applicant is not the subject of an investigation into professional matters, professional disciplinary proceedings, an order of a professional disciplinary tribunal, educational institution or a registration authority in New Zealand or any other country; original of a police certificate; statutory declaration (on the application form) that the registration will not endanger the health and safety of members of the public.

Additional information required Current curriculum vitae Three references - two professional and one character reference Professional references The original of two professional references on letterhead and including the workplace contact details, from the senior nurse who is your current employer, and from a nursing supervisor, to confirm your employment and your ability to deliver safe and effective practice. y The references need to be signed and dated, the referee should indicate her/his role and must make reference to post-registration experience. y They should also include the contact details of the referee. y They don t accept references from nursing agencies.  Character reference y The original of one character reference from a person who has known you for at least two years. This person does not need to be a nurse, and must not be a family member. y The reference needs to be signed and dated and should include the contact details of the referee.  Fees for registration y Processing fee of $420.00 (non refundable), a charge of $15.00 for Guidelines for Cultural Safety, The Treaty of Waitangi and Maori Health in Nursing Education and Practice (non refundable) and a registration fee of $50.00 (refundable if registration is not successful). The total fee of $485.00 must accompany your completed application for registration.

 y y  y

Things you Should Know Before Working Overseas (base on www.ofw.com)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Research Get along Show Respect Show Interest Bridge the Gap Know the Rules Look at the Bright Side