The nursing shortage in the U.S. is leaving a lot of healthcare providers short staffed and struggling to provide the care needed by their growing number of patients. One way that healthcare providers can help bolster their staff is by hiring international nurses. There are many foreign-educated nurses who are interested in seeking nursing jobs in the U.S., but they must meet a set of criteria before they are eligible. Healthcare providers looking to hire international nurses must make sure that the nurses they hire have completed the requirements to work in the U.S. It is also possible for healthcare providers to run into challenges with the Work Permits and immigration process.
At JobGraze, we connect healthcare providers with foreign nursing professionals looking for jobs, and seeking work in the U.S. We also help foreign-educated nurses meet the criteria necessary to be eligible to work in the U.S., including testing, work permit and immigration requirements. If you are looking to hire foreign-educated nurses to help off-set the effects of the nursing shortage, JobGraze can help simplify the process. Our platform connects you with international nurses who fit the available positions and are eligible to work in the U.S.
Growing Demand for Foreign Educated Nurses
A number of factors have contributed to the nursing shortage over the last several years, including burnout from increased workloads and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two of the most cited reasons for nurses to leave the profession are a lack of work-life balance and unmanageable workloads. As a result, more healthcare professionals are hiring international nurses to fill out their staff.
There has been a major influx of foreign-educated nurses since 2022 and most international nurses seeking jobs in the U.S. are registered nurses (RNs). Foreign-born nurses seeking work in the U.S. have experience, certifications, and degrees that make them more than qualified to help fill the gaps in the workforce caused by the nurse shortage.
How JobGraze Helps Healthcare Employers Hire International Nurses
At JobGraze, we understand the strain the nursing shortage has put on healthcare professionals as well as the challenges that come with hiring international nurses. We help simplify the process with our platform by connecting healthcare employers with international nurses looking for work in the U.S. Employers can post their available positions on JobGraze and easily screen applicants to find those best suited for the positions.
The following are the benefits of hiring international nurses through JobGraze:
Find Quality Nursing Candidates
It is already difficult enough to find qualified nursing candidates, let alone candidates from overseas. With JobGraze, you can look for international nurses who best suit the needs of the position and your organization and can provide quality care for your patients. The international nurses on JobGraze are highly qualified and eligible to work in the U.S.
JobGraze provides assistance to international nurses to help them through the steps of becoming qualified to work in the U.S. We help foreign-educated nurses obtain the right licensure, complete required testing, and become eligible for a work visa. Therefore, you can expect the international nurses you find on JobGraze to be ready to accept a position in the U.S.
The following are the steps we take to streamline the international nurse hiring process, so nurses are ready for direct hire:
- Assist pre-qualified candidates: When you sponsor a pre-qualified candidate, JobGraze assists them through the processes to obtain the required documents to be eligible to work in the U.S.
- Process work permits: We can process the work permits needed on behalf of the employer.
- Status updates: We can collaborate with the employer to implement orientation and training for the nurses as they wait for their work permit.
- Nurse starts work: Nurses are ready to work once they receive their work permits and JobGraze helps them find housing, transportation, and other basic needs upon their arrival.
International Nurses Who Have Passed Required Exams
All international nurses looking for work in the U.S. on JobGraze have received degrees and/or nursing licenses from their home countries. They have also taken and passed the following required exams:
English Proficiency Exam
It is important for nurses to be able to effectively communicate with their patients to provide the best possible care. Foreign-educated nurses are strongly encouraged to take an English proficiency exam, especially if they completed a nursing program in a language other than English.
International nurses on JobGraze have passed one of the recognized language proficiency exams, including the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Test for English for International Communication (TOEIC), and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Foreign-educated nurses who have passed these exams meet the language standards to care for English-speaking patients in the U.S.
NCLEX Exam
Passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is required for foreign-educated nurses to demonstrate their ability to meet the standards of nursing care in the U.S. This exam is often challenging as nurses must understand the specific requirements for the particular state where they have chosen to work. According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), the passing rate for international nurses taking the exam for the first time is just over 46 percent as of 2023.
The international nurses on JobGraze have passed the NCLEX which shows that they understand the standards of practice specific to your state and are ready to join your staff and help meet the demands of your healthcare facility.
Visa Screening and CGFNS Qualifying Exam
Foreign-educated nurses must complete a visa screening that also includes the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Qualifying Exam. When foreign-educated nurses apply for a work visa, they must also take the CGFNS to verify that they are eligible to take on a role in healthcare in the U.S. and receive a Visa Screen certificate. Foreign-educated nurses must then submit the required documents and fees and complete an interview with the National Visa Center to receive their work visa.
In many cases, foreign-educated nurses work with their U.S. employer to complete the process of obtaining a visa. Depending on the situation for each international nurse, this process can be time consuming and complex and any mistake or missed deadline may result in starting the process over. At JobGraze, we help international nurses navigate the process to obtain their visas, so they are eligible to work in the U.S. when applying for positions. You will not have to worry about helping international nurses obtain their visas when you hire them from JobGraze.
Improve Patient Care
Healthcare facilities who are short-staffed need to hire qualified nurses quickly to ensure their patients receive the best possible care. Foreign-educated nurses who have worked with JobGraze to obtain the right licensure, complete required exams, and become eligible to work in the U.S. have demonstrated their skills and ability to provide effective patient care and are available to start working right away as long as all of the paperwork is done. (as early as 6 months).
Having a diverse nursing staff is also beneficial as international nurses bring a different perspective that can enhance your procedures and result in improved patient care.
Quickly Hire International Nurses
It can be time consuming to find and hire international nurses and healthcare facilities who need help simply cannot waste time. JobGraze helps make the hiring process more efficient as healthcare employers can use our platform to match international nurses to the positions they are looking to fill.
The AI/SMART technology integrated into our platform matches candidates to your positions based on their skills, capabilities, and specializations. You will receive matches regularly so you can quickly create a short list of qualified candidates and begin reaching out to them. This technology helps shorten talent placement by 4 to 6 months.
Many of the international nurses looking for nursing positions on JobGraze have already completed the requirements to work in the U.S. and can join your staff right away.
Save Money for Your Business
Healthcare providers who are short staffed sometimes must rely on travel nurses to fill empty positions, but these jobs are costly and usually temporary. Hiring qualified international nurses through JobGraze helps save money by reducing the need for costly travel nurses and simplifying the recruiting process. Finding the most qualified candidates through JobGraze can also help reduce turnover rates.
Hiring international nurses through JobGraze can save money in the following ways:
- Reduce reliance on travel nurses: Travel nursing gigs are expensive as 100 travel nurses can cost a healthcare provider around $10.5 million a year. Filling your positions with international nurses through JobGraze is much more cost effective.
- Reduce turnover and overtime: High turnover rates in nursing can cost healthcare providers a lot of money as a 100-nurse staff with an 18.4% turnover rate can cost healthcare providers $500,000 per year. JobGraze matches you with candidates who are best suited to fill your positions which can reduce turnover. Keeping a full staff also helps eliminate overtime.
- No need for a recruiter: The AI/SMART technology integrated into JobGraze matches you with candidates that best fit the requirements of your listed positions which eliminates the need for you to hire and employ a recruiter.
- Avoid fines from understaffing: Understaffed hospitals and healthcare facilities may face potential fines. JobGraze helps you keep your facility staffed and avoid fines.
Hire International Nurses with JobGraze
As the nursing shortage in the U.S. continues to be a problem, international nurses can help fill in the gaps and support healthcare professionals while providing quality patient care. Hiring international nurses is not always easy, especially if the candidates still need to complete certain requirements to be eligible to work in the U.S.
Healthcare employers can simplify the process of hiring international nurses by working with JobGraze. JobGraze is a cutting-edge workforce logistics platform that connects hospitals, staffing agencies, and other healthcare facilities with nurses looking for international nursing jobs in the U.S. With a network exceeding 70,000 Registered Nurses holding BSN degrees, we efficiently meet your staffing requirements. We offer an employment guarantee, promising to replace any nurse at no extra charge if needed. You can expect a 99% retention rate and annual savings of over $10.5 million when working with JobGraze.
Healthcare providers can easily organize the applications they receive to find ideal international nursing candidates to bolster their staff and ensure their patients receive the best quality care.
Healthcare providers can register with JobGraze to start finding qualified nursing candidates.
