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I am an employer who needs to hire foreign nurses, what should I do to streamline the process?

Obtaining visas for nurses and other healthcare workers residing outside of the U.S. can be a lengthy and somewhat expensive process. It is also difficult to screen and hire employees outside of the country without a face-to-face interview. As such, most employers associate with an employment agency that is familiar with candidates from the country in which recruitment is sought. Such agencies pre-screen, interview, and verify the qualifications of applicants and only present qualifying candidates to the U.S. employer. Those agencies also assist the aliens through the complex paperwork required for consular processing once the application is approved in the U.S.

An employer who wishes to employ foreign nurses should begin the process several months before the date of the intended employment to allot sufficient time for processing.  Potential candidates should also be required to apply for visa screen certification early in the application process since it may take several months to complete the necessary paperwork.

For an employer with recurring need, it may also be more economical to process several candidates at the same time to reduce the overall cost, and account for those candidates who may not be issued visas for reasons unrelated to the employer. For instance, a qualifying employee may not be permitted to enter the US if he/she fails to meet the health and/or vaccination standards. Also, an otherwise qualified candidate may be refused entry due to a prior criminal arrest and/or conviction.  Processing several candidates simultaneously will minimize an employer's exposure in that regard.

To assist newly arrived foreign nurses, an extensive orientation program is necessary to acclimate them with standard practices, procedures, equipment and the general institutional culture in which they will work. Scheduling several candidates at once is generally cost-effective, when compared to multiple orientations for individual entrants.

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