Moving between states / Michigan
Alaskato
Michigan, RN or LPNMoving from Alaska to Michigan as a registered or practical nurse
What a registered or practical nurse licensed in Alaska has to do to work in Michigan, what the move does to your pay, and who in Michigan is hiring from out of state.
Endorsement needed. Neither Alaska nor Michigan is in the Nurse Licensure Compact. You apply to the Michigan Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement: verification of your Alaska licence through Nursys, a fingerprint background check and the fee. Start before you give notice; six to twelve weeks is normal.
What the move does to your paycheck
On a $60,000 salary Michigan takes roughly $2,550 a year more than Alaska does, because you are leaving a state with no income tax on wages.
| Salary | Alaska state tax | Michigan state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $0 | $1,700 | -$1,700 |
| $60,000 | $0 | $2,550 | -$2,550 |
| $90,000 | $0 | $3,825 | -$3,825 |
Rough figures for a single filer: exact in the flat-rate and no-tax states, approximated at 70% of the top bracket in the progressive ones. In Michigan: Detroit and some cities add a local income tax. Property and sales tax are not in it.
CNA: Alaska to Michigan
Transfers by reciprocity. Your Alaska certificate stays on the Alaska Board of Nursing (Certified Nurse Aide program); to work in Michigan you apply to the Michigan Nurse Aide Registry (administered by Prometric for the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) for reciprocity. It accepts an active certificate in good standing from another state; there is no retest if your record is clean. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.
Electrician: Alaska to Michigan
Exam required. Michigan licenses electricians through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Electrical Administrative Board and does not reciprocate with any state. Your Alaska hours count toward eligibility, so get them certified in writing by the Alaska Department of Labor, Mechanical Inspection before you move and book the Michigan exam early.
CDL: Alaska to Michigan
Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Michigan resident you surrender the Alaska CDL at a Michigan driver licence office, pass the vision test, pay the fee, and your endorsements carry over. A hazmat endorsement needs a fresh TSA threat assessment in Michigan. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
Does Michigan pay you to come?
No statewide program in Michigan pays people to move in. Towns sometimes list an offer through MakeMyMove, and employers in short-staffed trades pay relocation themselves; ask for it in writing before you accept.
Going the other way? Alaska has Permanent Fund Dividend. See moving from Michigan to Alaska.
Openings filed in Michigan
58 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Michigan employers who could not fill them locally.
- Animal BreedersRooker Training Stable, Inc. · Fenton · $22.5/hr
- Farmworker/LaborerDiaz Agricultural Services, LLC. · Kent City · $16.37/hr
- Field Service Technician IBAXTER · Warren
- Farmworkers and Laborers, CropLegacy Labor, Inc. · Portage · $13.73/hr
- Farmworkers and Laborers, CropLegacy Labor, Inc. · Portage · $13.73/hr
- Equipment Operator/Farm LaborerNickle Plate Dairy · Portland · $16.28/hr
Your own route from Alaska to Michigan
Tell us your trade and your licence. We write the steps for your case, check the job offer for scams, and keep your resume ready for Michigan employers.
Plan my move to MichiganSame move, by trade
CNA: Alaska to Michigan · Electrician: Alaska to Michigan · Truck driver: Alaska to Michigan · All licences: Alaska to Michigan
From Alaska to the states next to Michigan
Ohio (progressive, top rate 3.5%) · Indiana (flat 3% state income tax) · Wisconsin (progressive, top rate 7.65%)
To Michigan from the states next to Alaska
Everything about working in Michigan · All moves between states · All 50 states