How to Hire Foreign Nurses in New York (2026)

The Nursing Shortage in New York: Costs and Reality

Healthcare facilities across New York State are facing severe staffing strains. From major health systems in the New York City metro area and Long Island to regional hospitals and long term care facilities in the Capital Region, Central New York, and Western New York, nurse vacancy rates remain high. Replacing open staff positions with temporary travel nurses is an expensive short term solution. In New York, agency travel nurse rates frequently run between $100 and $150 per hour once agency markup, overtime, and administrative costs are included. Over a full year, relying on travel staff can add millions of dollars to operating budgets while increasing burnout among core staff.

Hiring registered nurses (RNs) from abroad is a long term strategy to build stable, permanent clinical teams. While international recruitment requires upfront coordination and patience with federal processing, foreign trained nurses who relocate to New York generally commit to multi-year employment contracts. This guide walks you through the practical, legal, and licensing steps required to recruit and employ foreign registered nurses in New York State.

Licensing Requirements for International Nurses in New York

Immigration permits a foreign nurse to live and work in the United States, but state law dictates whether they can actually practice. In New York, nursing practice is regulated by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of the Professions and the New York State Board for Nursing. A foreign trained nurse cannot work as an RN in New York without an active NYSED license.

To license an internationally educated nurse in New York, the following steps must be completed:

• Credential Evaluation: The candidate must have their education credentials evaluated to ensure they meet New York standards. NYSED accepts credentials processed through the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) International using their Credential Evaluation Service (CES) Professional Report.
• Mandatory State Coursework: New York State law requires all nursing applicants to complete state approved coursework in Infection Control and Child Abuse Identification and Reporting. These short courses can be completed online from anywhere in the world.
• English Proficiency: Candidates must demonstrate English language proficiency. Passing scores on recognized standardized exams such as IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT are standard requirements for CGFNS credential verification and visa issuance.
• NCLEX-RN Examination: Candidates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Candidates can take the NCLEX at Pearson VUE testing centers operating in several international locations, including the Philippines, India, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Mexico.
• NYSED License Application: Once credentials, required coursework, and NCLEX scores are submitted to NYSED, the board reviews the file and issues the New York RN license.

The Immigration Route: Schedule A EB-3 and TN Visas

Immigration law is federal, but the specific visa category you use depends on the candidate's country of citizenship and professional role. You should always consult with a qualified immigration attorney, the US Department of Labor (DOL), or US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to verify current procedural rules.

For registered nurses, the legal framework offers a significant advantage known as Schedule A designation:

• EB-3 Immigrant Visa (Schedule A): The US Department of Labor classifies Registered Nurses under "Schedule A" (20 CFR 656.5), recognizing a pre-certified nationwide shortage of RNs. This means employers do not need to go through the lengthy PERM Labor Certification process or conduct labor market testing to prove a lack of US applicants. Instead, the employer posts an internal notice of filing at the workplace for ten business days, completes Form ETA-9089, and files it directly with USCIS alongside Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker). The EB-3 visa yields a permanent resident card (green card) for the worker upon arrival.
• TN Visa (for Canadian and Mexican Citizens): Under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), qualified Canadian and Mexican registered nurses can enter the US on a TN non-immigrant visa. TN status can be granted for up to three years at a time and processed rapidly. Canadian nurses can often apply directly at a port of entry or through USCIS, provided they hold a New York RN license and a CGFNS VisaScreen certificate. Mexican citizens must schedule an interview at a US consulate.
• H-1B Visa (Rarely Applicable): The standard H-1B visa requires a bachelor degree as a minimum entry requirement for the specific position. Because USCIS generally considers staff nurse roles achievable with a two-year associate degree in nursing (ADN), bedside staff RN positions rarely qualify for H-1B status unless the position is highly specialized or an advanced practice role (such as a Nurse Practitioner).

Realistic Timelines from Hiring Decision to Start Date

Employers entering foreign recruitment must plan according to realistic timelines. The process is not a quick fix for immediate staffing shortages next month.

• TN Visa (Canada/Mexico): 1 to 4 months. If the nurse already holds an active New York license and a CGFNS VisaScreen certificate, entry can occur quickly.
• EB-3 Visa (Rest of World): 12 to 24+ months. The exact timeline depends on visa bulletin priority dates, USCIS petition processing times, and National Visa Center (NVC) consular scheduling. If premium processing is used for Form I-140, USCIS responds within 15 business days, but background checks, medical exams, and consular interviews overseas still take considerable time.
• NYSED Licensure Processing: 3 to 6 months. Credentials evaluation and state board processing usually run concurrently while visa paperwork is being prepared.

Wages, Employer Obligations, and Worker Protections

New York is a high wage state with distinct regional pay structures. Under federal immigration regulations, an employer sponsoring a foreign nurse must pay at least the Prevailing Wage determined by the US Department of Labor for the specific metropolitan statistical area (MSA) where the nurse will work, or the actual wage paid to similarly employed staff at the facility, whichever is higher.

For example, prevailing wage rates and market expectations for RNs in the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area, Long Island, and Westchester County are significantly higher than those in Upstate regions like Buffalo, Rochester, or Utica. Salary offers in the NYC metro region routinely range from $95,000 to over $120,000 annually, influenced by regional union contracts such as those negotiated by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA). In Upstate markets, starting salaries for staff RNs typically range from $75,000 to $95,000 annually.

In addition to wages, employers must fulfill strict legal obligations regarding fees and worker protections:

Legitimate employers must bear the regulatory fees, attorney costs, and administrative expense associated with sponsoring a worker. Under federal rules and standard legal ethics, employers and recruitment agents must never charge candidates fees for employment opportunities, visa sponsorship, or job placements. Requiring a foreign nurse to pay thousands of dollars in placement or sponsorship fees is a clear warning sign of labor exploitation and fraud. Employers who participate in or contract with agencies that charge workers risk serious regulatory penalties, legal exposure, and severe reputational damage. Ensure your legal team or agency partners abide strictly by ethical recruitment principles.

What This Costs You, Roughly

Costs vary depending on whether you handle immigration in house or work with specialized legal counsel. Below are the standard cost line items expected for an EB-3 Schedule A nurse recruitment process:

• USCIS Filing Fees: $1,500 to $4,000 (Includes Form I-140 filing fee, Immigrant Fee, and optional Premium Processing fee).
• Legal and Attorney Fees: $3,000 to $7,000 per candidate for immigration document preparation and consular filing.
• Credentialing and VisaScreen: $500 to $1,200 (CGFNS CES, VisaScreen, and NYSED licensing application fees, often reimbursed by the employer).
• Relocation and Travel: $1,500 to $3,500 (One way international airfare and initial arrival transportation).
• Initial Housing Support: $2,000 to $5,000 (Customary to provide 30 days of temporary local housing or a transitional stipend to help the nurse settle into New York).

Finding Foreign Nurses for Your New York Facility

If you have decided that direct foreign recruitment fits your organization's long term strategy, you can source talent directly rather than paying agency commission fees. Workmerica maintains an online candidate registry where international nurses publish profiles detailing their education, current country of residence, NCLEX status, and preferred US work locations, including New York.

Our registry is young and growing. You can search candidate profiles, review qualifications, and contact nurses directly to initiate recruitment discussions. Workmerica is not a staffing agency or a recruiter: we charge no per-hire fees and take no percentage of placement costs. Foreign workers never pay to join or use Workmerica. Employers pay a simple subscription to search the registry, contact candidates, and manage their own hiring pipeline directly.