More RP nurses going to Britain

June 14, 2010 01:18:00 Jerome Aning Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, PhilippinesMore Filipino nurses are now leaving for the United Kingdom than those going to the United States over the past three years as immigration policies continue to impede demand for foreign nurses in America. Emmanuel Geslani, a consultant of several Manila-based recruitment agencies, said Filipino nurses were finding it easier to seek employment in the United Kingdom via the study-and-work program introduced by the British health service four years ago. Filipino nurses hoping to work in the United States may have to wait five to seven years for H1-B working visas

(The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa in the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act, section 101(a)(15)(H). It allows US employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. If a foreign worker in H-1B status quits or is dismissed from the sponsoring employer, the worker must either apply for and be granted a change of status to another non-immigrant status, find another employer (subject to application for adjustment of status and/or change of visa), or leave the US.)
Duration of stay

The duration of stay is three years, extendable to six years. An exception to maximum length of stay applies in certain circumstances: 1.If a visa holder has submitted an I-140 immigrant petition or a labor certification prior to their fifth year anniversary of having the H-1B visa, they are entitled to renew their H-1B visa in one-year or threeyear increments until a decision has been rendered on their application for permanent residence. 2.If the visa holder has an approved I-140 immigrant petition, but is unable to initiate the final step of the green card process due to their priority date not being current, they may be entitled to a three-year extension of their H-1B visa. This exception originated with the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act of 2000.[4] 3.The maximum duration of the H-1B visa is ten years for exceptional Defense Department project related work. H-1B holders who want to continue to work in the US after six years, but who have not obtained permanent residency status, must remain outside of the US for one year before reapplying for another H-1B visa. Despite a

limit on length of stay, no requirement exists that the individual remain for any period in the job the visa was originally issued for. This is known as H1B portability or transfer, provided the new employer sponsors another H1B visa, which may or may not be subjected to the quota. Under current law, H-1B visa has no stipulated grace period in the event the employeremployee relationship ceases to exist.
and two to three years for EB-3 immigrant visas before they can enter the US

EB3 visa
EB-3(A): This category is for 'professional workers' with a U.S. bachelor's or foreign equivalent degree and with a job offer from a U.S. company EB-3(B): This category is for 'skilled workers' for positions that require at least two years of training or experience and with a job offer from a U.S. company EB-3(C): This category is for 'unskilled workers' for positions that require less than two years training or experience and with a job offer from a U.S. company

Professional workers
Professionals must hold a US baccalaureate degree or foreign equivalent degree that is normally required for the profession. Education and experience may not be substituted for the degree.

Skilled workers
Skilled worker positions are not seasonal or temporary and require at least two years of experience or training. The training requirement may be met through relevant post-secondary education. The Labor Certification Form states the job requirements, which determine whether a job is skilled or unskilled.

Unskilled workers
Other workers are in positions that require less than two years of higher education, training, or experience, such as an unskilled worker who can perform labor for which qualified workers are not available in the United States. However, due to the long backlog, a petitioner could expect to wait many years before being granted a visa under this category.

While those interested in improving their academic qualifications can enter the UK under the study-and-work program, Geslani said. He cited statistics released by the UK Borders and Immigration Agency showing that the annual average number of Filipino nurses who went to the United Kingdom reached 7,000 from 2007 to 2009. By contrast, there was an annual average of less than 300 registered Filipino nurses entering the United States from 2003 to 2009 using H1B work and EB-3 immigration visas, data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) show. Among countries, Saudi Arabia has received the biggest number of Filipino nurses, with an average of 8,000 deployed yearly. The POEA figures show a yearly average of 13,000 nurses deployed to various countries including the United States, Geslani said. Unemployed nurses The opening of study programs that include on-the-job training (OJT) for Filipino nurses has been a blessing for the more than 300,000 unemployed licensed nurses in our country, with the glut increasing each year with more than 100,000 graduates each year, said Geslani, a former vice president of the Federated Association of Manpower Exporters and a recruiter for the past three decades. The huge number of unemployed licensed nurses in the country has led to a sharp drop in enrollment at nursing schools. The study-and-work program allows Filipino nursing undergraduates to improve their academic background by studying in a British university for nine months to two years while being deployed to an appropriate work place. While studying, Filipino nurses are given an opportunity of 15.5 hours OJT with pay. Nursing graduates from overseas are required to work 20 hours a week while taking units to upgrade their skills to British standards. One international consultancy firm with an office in Manila has a workand-study program that could send Filipino nurses to the United Kingdom within six months, Geslani said. Other health workers The firm offers two-year courses in the United Kingdom for Filipino physical therapists, medical technologists, public health workers and even social workers who would like to enter the British healthcare industry. A new program allows Filipino nursing graduates an opportunity to study in Britain for an additional year. They will then get a work experience of up to two years and be issued work permits. Most Filipino nurses in the United Kingdom end up becoming caregivers, as the country is also suffering from a shortage of health

workers, according to Geslani. In demand Filipino caregivers are in demand in Britain because they are better English speakers than their counterparts from European Union countries such as Poland and Romania, he said. Many Filipino nurses also try to apply to become registered nurses in Britain and get permanent residence status immediately although the entry requirements are much tougher, he added. Typically, overseas workers in Britain can apply for permanent residence after working there for five years. Security issue Geslani said that while going to the United States was not entirely hopeless for aspiring Filipino nurses, getting there was becoming more difficult. The US Citizenship and Immigration Service treats the migration of foreign nurses as a border-and-security issue and despite legislation to increase the number of foreign nurses government bureaucratic red tape has failed to find solutions to the lack of nurses in the US healthcare system, he said. US hospitals and health institutions are also suffering from funding problems due to the global financial crisis. US President Barack Obamas healthcare program augurs well for Filipino nurses because more hospitals and health facilities are to be set up in the following years as the US government implements universal health care, Geslani said. Call center agents The problem is that the implementation just takes too long. Our students and graduates couldnt wait to work abroad and deployment to the UK seems more promising. We already have many nursing graduates here who are working as call center agents while applying for work in the US, he told the Inquirer. Filipino nurses interest in going to the US may be actually waning because of the weak demand there. For the first time, there was a drop in Filipino nurses taking the National Council Licensure Examinations (NCLEX). Only 3,024 took the exam from January to March this year, compared with 4,194 in the same quarter of 2009. The NCLEX refers to the licensure examination administered by the US National Council of State Boards of Nursing Inc.

How to become a nurse in Canada?

For a nurse aspiring to be work overseas in Canada, one of the primary requirements is that he/ she must be a licensed nurse in the Philippines. In other words, a nursing degree does not suffice. One should be able to pass the nursing licensure exam and be a registered nurse in the Philippines first. Second, the Filipino registered nurse also needs to pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE) in order to be allowed to practice the profession in the Canada.

The Canadian Registered Nurse Examination is a essentially a test developed and maintained by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) in coordination with the provincial and territorial nursing regulatory authorities, that administer and facilitate the exam in a particular state, province or their specific area of jurisdiction. Thus, registration of nurses or the obtaining of license is on the provincial level depending on the specific province or territory where one intends to work. Moreover, this CRNE requirement does not apply in Quebec, which sets its own examination. This CRNE principally consists of a multiple choice exam that included independent and case-based questions that gauges a particular skill or competency expected of nurses. The test which last for around 4 hours is used by the government to certify that all entering registered nurses in Canada meet an acceptable standard of competence and expertise before they begin to practice. The test not only help standardize the level of competence of overseas nurse but more importantly ensures the Canadian public that they shall be given the quality health care service that they demand and require even by foreign nurses. Communication is important in the practice of any profession. In

the case of Canada, a Filipino nurses may be, as often the case, required to take an English language proficiency test to become a licensed nurse in Canada. Aside from English, French is also a common vernacular in Canada hence a French communication skills would also be an advantage. In certain Canadian provinces, the CRNE may be written in French. Finally, since working as a nurse in Canada is apparently an overseas work, one is therefore required to secure the standard regulatory legal documents that a person needs to work abroad. This includes the passport and the working visa. Working as a nurse in Canada is definitely a rewarding career. Most often, nursing professions are furthered classified into three distinct groups such as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Registered Nurses (RNs) and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs). Each cluster of nurse has a certain specialization. The RPNs for instance specialized on mental health patients. It is therefore important to decide in advance which type of nurse one wants to be so that one can specialize and review the specific expertise required for such nursing group.

Entry to Practice Requirements

The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) is the regulatory body for nursing practice in Ontario. The CNO regulates nursing to protect the public interest and sets requirements to enter the profession, establishes and enforces standards of nursing practice, and assures the quality of practice of the profession and the continuing competence of nurses. In Ontario, nursing is categorized in two groups: Registered Nurse (RN) and Registered Practical Nurse (RPN). There are six classes of registration: General, Temporary, Special Assignment, Extended, Retired and Transitional. For a full description of each class of registration, please visit the CNO website.

Registration Requirements
To practise nursing as an RN or RPN in Ontario, internationally educated nurses (IENs) must hold a current General Certificate of Registration with the CNO. To become eligible

for General Class Registration, IENs will need to meet the following seven registration requirements: 4. Proof of Canadian citizenship, Permanent Residency or authorization to work in Canada 5. Completion of a nursing program that is equivalent to a Ontario 4-year bachelors degree in nursing or a practical nursing diploma 6. Evidence of recent safe nursing practice 7. Successful completion of the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam (CRNE) or the Canadian Registered Practical Nurse Exam (CPRNE) administered by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) 8. Evidence of language fluency in either the English or French 9. Registration or eligibility for registration in the jurisdiction of the completed Nursing Program Good character and suitability to practice