Can foreign-born nurses obtain temporary work visas?
Yes. There are certain circumstances in which temporary work visas can be acquired: 1. Trade NAFTA (TN) Work Permits Nurses who are citizens of Canada are exempt from visa requirements. They can work in the U.S. under a TN visa if they: · have an offer of employment from a U.S. employer for a period under a year · are licenses in both Canada and their intended state of employment · have proof of Canadian citizenship · pay a small fee to enter the United States TN status can be renewed yearly, although TN nurses are not supposed to intend to stay permanently in the United States. Nurses who are citizens of Mexico can also qualify for TN status, although the procedure is much more complex than that for Canadians. The potential employer must submit a Labor Condition Application (LCA) to the Department of Labor and a nonimmigrant visa petition (Form I-129) to the USCIS Service Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. Once the LCA and petition are approved, the nurse must apply for a TN visa at a U.S.
