Moving between states / Oregon
Californiato
Oregon, RN or LPNMoving from California to Oregon as a registered or practical nurse
What a registered or practical nurse licensed in California has to do to work in Oregon, what the move does to your pay, and who in Oregon is hiring from out of state.
Endorsement needed. Neither California nor Oregon is in the Nurse Licensure Compact. You apply to the Oregon Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement: verification of your California 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 Oregon leaves you roughly $1,428 a year more than California does, because Oregon's rate is lower.
| Salary | California state tax | Oregon state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $3,724 | $2,772 | +$952 |
| $60,000 | $5,586 | $4,158 | +$1,428 |
| $90,000 | $8,379 | $6,237 | +$2,142 |
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 Oregon: Portland metro adds local taxes on higher incomes. In California: plus a 1.1% payroll tax for disability insurance. Property and sales tax are not in it.
CNA: California to Oregon
Transfers by reciprocity. Your California certificate stays on the California Department of Public Health, Aide and Technician Certification Section; to work in Oregon you apply to the Oregon State Board of Nursing, Certified Nursing Assistant registry 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: California to Oregon
Reciprocity likely. Oregon licenses electricians at state level through the Oregon Building Codes Division, Electrical and Elevator Board, and reciprocity with a short list of western states for general journeymen. Your California licence comes from the Division of Industrial Relations (certification) and Contractors State License Board (C-10), a state body, which is what a reciprocity application needs: ask it for a verification letter before you move.
CDL: California to Oregon
Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Oregon resident you surrender the California CDL at a Oregon 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 Oregon. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
Does Oregon pay you to come?
No statewide program in Oregon 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.
Openings filed in Oregon
76 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Oregon employers who could not fill them locally.
- Relationship Banker- Bilingual Spanish preferredBank of America · Bend
- Relationship Banker, bilingual Spanish preferredBank of America · Eugene
- Beekeeper HelperSweet Bee Honey Company, Inc. · Milton Freewater · $17.65/hr
- Farm WorkerKCK Farms, LLC · Dayton · $17.92/hr
- Farmworker / LaborerWebster Orchards Inc. · The Dalles · $15.55/hr
- Farm LaborerBlooming Nursery, Inc. · Cornelius · $17.65/hr
Your own route from California to Oregon
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 Oregon employers.
Plan my move to OregonSame move, by trade
CNA: California to Oregon · Electrician: California to Oregon · Truck driver: California to Oregon · All licences: California to Oregon
From California to the states next to Oregon
Washington (no state income tax) · Idaho (flat 5.3% state income tax) · Nevada (no state income tax)
To Oregon from the states next to California
Everything about working in Oregon · All moves between states · All 50 states