Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who are we and what have we done?
   Foreign nurses want to come to the U.S for good pay and in general, for a better life for themselves and their families. On the other hand, the hospitals and other medical facilities in the U.S. are experiencing at least a 20% shortage in their staffing needs and policymakers realized that quality of patient care is greatly compromised. Thus, Enterprise Staffing Solutions brings renewed hope for the nurses and improved work and safety conditions into the U.S. hospitals.
   
2. What professionals do you place?
   Currently, we place staff registered nurses for permanent positions in the US. Foreign born registered nurses may apply to work in the US , through our company.
   
3. Where do you place your nurses?
   We usually place nurses in hospitals and nursing homes throughout the United States in permanent and temporary positions.
   
4. IF I register with Enterprise Staffing Solutions, will my resume be confidential ?
   Yes. Your personal contact information remains confidential until you give permission for it to be released to an employer.
   
5. Who pays me when I get a job through Enterprise Staff Solution?
   You are hired directly by the hospital or healthcare agency. Salary and benefits are paid by the hospital or healthcare agency.
   
6. I am a foreign born nurse. What exams are required to work in the US?
   All foreign born nurses must have passed the CGFNS or NCLEX exam and the TOEFL and TSE exams.
   • Those entering into the US with a visa only need to complete the TOEFL and either the CGFNS or NCLEX.
     
   • Those entering into the US with a green card, need to complete the above mentioned tests along with the TSE to secure the VisaScreen™ certificate.
7. Do I need CGFNS certification?
   Immigrant Visas: Yes and no. To file an immigrant worker petition (form I-140), a CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) certificate or full unrestricted license to practice in the state of intended employment is required according to the federal immigration regulations. However, under current INS practice, NCLEX may substitute for the CGFNS certificate if the nurse will be employed in a state (e.g., NewYork) where the state nursing board does not specifically require a CGFNS certificate.
   As indicated previously on this web page, there is no provision under current law for INS to approve an I-140 for an RN in the absence of a CGFNS certificate or unrestricted license. Yet they are being approved with NCLEX instead. Welcome to the strange world of immigration law. Please remember that the CGFNS exam results are not sufficient; the certificate is needed. To obtain a CGFNS certificate, the RN must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
   Note: Sometimes the INS accepts an I-140 (EB-3) immigrant worker petition without a CGFNS certificate, NCLEX, or an unrestricted license. However, the petitioner should later receive a "Request for Evidence" notice (RFE) requesting the CGFNS certificate or unrestricted license. Processing of an RFE, currently, is likely to double the time it takes to process an I-140 petition.
   VisaScreen™ : At the end of the immigration process, approval of an immigrant visa for a healthcare worker without a Visa Screen certificate from CGFNS is plain error. We have heard the stories from nurses: the American Consulate gives immigrant visas to healthcare workers without the VisaScreen™ . We have discussed this matter of the Visa Screen certificate with other immigration lawyers and American consular officers. Unless the nurse received his/her education in a handful of countries where English is the first language, the VisaScreen™ certificate is required.
   WARNING: If a recruiter or other individual promises to obtain for you an RN immigrant visa without a VisaScreen™ certificate, there is a strong possibility of fraud. In all cases an RN interested in immigrating to the US should avoid such individuals.
   
8. Where can I find the CGFNS Application and the study guide?
   Visit the official website at www.cgfns.org and download it free of charge. You will receive a free copy of the official study guide with your paid request for the CGFNS exam.
   
9. I am a Canadian nurse. How can I apply to work in the US?
   Any Canadian nurse who is interested in working in the US may be sponsored for employment relatively easy with a TN visa. Some states do not require the Canadian trained nurse to take the NCLEX exam. Please contact us to find out more information.
   
10. How long does it take to get an immigrant visa ?
    September 2001 the INS publicized that immigrant petition processing was about ten weeks. The process for other kinds of medical professionals is different--and usually longer, generally about two years.
    
11. Can I bring my family also?
    Yes. We can include a spouse and children in the immigration paperwork for one additional charge that covers our legal services costs. However, Enterprise Staffing Solutions encourages employees to travel alone and get settled before bringing other family members. Of course, the length of that transition varies from person to person, but generally it is three to nine months.
    
    The transition to living and working in America can be emotionally difficult. Having other family members go through the same transition with you is generally more stressful than living apart from one's family for a time. When bringing a spouse, please remember that the marriage should be one that is registered with the local court of municipal registry. Common law or un-registered marriages are problematic.
    Also children will receive immigrant visas ONLY if they are under 21 years of age at the end of the immigration process. The child's age at the beginning of the process is not important. Children who themselves have married do not qualify. Both the INS and the American Consulates have procedures for rapidly processing children who are in danger of aging out. So it is important that your petitioner, the attorney processing the paperwork, the INS and the American Consulate are keenly aware if your child will turn 21 within the coming 12 months.
    The primary beneficiary and/or spouse, once they have obtained US permanent residency, may sponsor married children and children over 21. However, the process may take years because of waiting lists (quotas, in other words). Fortunately, under a new "V" visa program, these children may enter the US and work legally after the visa applications have been in process for three years
    
12. If a nurse has an offer of employment from Enterprise Staffing Solutions and is pursuing state licensure instead of obtaining a CGFNS certificate, and the nurse then fails the NCLEX exam, will Enterprise Staffing Solutions still petition/employ the nurse?
    Generally, yes. However, Enterprise Staffing Solutions takes pride in the quality of its Visa Nurse employees. If a nurse fails the NCLEX-RN exam, he/she must attend a review course during the 91-day waiting period following the first exam, retake the exam. This is our policy.