Apply
  • Login
    • CGFNS CONNECT (For Applicants)
    • CES CONNECT (For State Boards of Nursing)
    • CVS-NCNZ (New Zealand)
    • CVS-Aruba
    • Authorized Agent Portal
    • CTP (For Schools and Licensing Authorities)
  • SELECT YOUR SERVICE BY U.S. STATE
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Core Values
    • Our Leadership
    • Careers
    • Events
    • News
    • CGFNS+
  • Services
    • Credentials Evaluation
      • Credentials Evaluation Service Professional
      • Credentials Evaluation Service Academic
      • Credentials Evaluation Service Nursing Specialty
    • Credentials Verification
      • Credentials Verification Service for New York State®
      • Credentials Verification Service for the Nursing Council of New Zealand
      • Credentials Verification Service for Aruba
    • Certification
      • VisaScreen®: Visa Credentials Assessment
      • CGFNS Certification Program®
      • Certified Global Nurse Consultant (CGNC)
      • ISPN®: CGFNS International Standards for Professional Nurses Program®
      • Global Rehabilitation Certification
    • Additional Services
      • GPVault™ Document Management Service
      • eSAVED™ (Extended Storage of Authenticated and Verified Electronic Documents)
      • eDas™  (eDocument Authentication Service)
      • CGFNS Self-Assessment
      • …More
  • Support
    • CGFNS FAQ
    • CGFNS Application Processing Times
    • Fee Schedule and Policies
    • Help Me To Select
    • Helpful Links and Resources
    • Select Service by Profession
    • Select Your Country of Origin
    • How to Work as a Nurse in the U.S.
  • Global Credibility
    • CGFNS Blog
    • Care Anywhere Podcast
    • Affecting Policy on the World Stage
    • Working Towards Health for All
    • Empowering Those Who Have Lost It All
    • Publications
    • Reports & Whitepapers
  • Organizations Served
    • Schools
    • Regulatory Authorities
    • Employers
    • International Health Workforce Recruiters
    • Enterprise Solutions
    • Work with Us
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Wizard
    • Subscribe
    • Republication Permissions
For Organizations:
  • About
    • Careers
    • Our Core Values
    • Our Leadership
    • News
    • CGFNS+
  • Services
    • Credentials Evaluation
      • Credentials Evaluation Service Professional®
      • Credentials Evaluation Service Academic®
      • Credentials Evaluation Service Nursing Specialty
        • American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Program Verification & Evaluation
        • NLN Certification for Nurse Educators (CNE) CGFNS Credentials Validation Service
    • Credentials Verification
      • Credentials Verification Service for New York State®
      • Credentials Verification Service for the Nursing Council of New Zealand
      • Credentials Verification Service for Aruba
    • Certification
      • VisaScreen®: Visa Credentials Assessment
      • CGFNS Certification Program®
      • Certified Global Nurse Consultant (CGNC)
      • ISPN®: CGFNS International Standards for Professional Nurses Program®
      • Global Rehabilitation Certification
    • Additional Services
      • GPVault™ Document Management Service
      • eDas™  (eDocument Authentication Service)
      • eSAVED™ (Extended Storage of Authenticated and Verified Electronic Documents)
      • CGFNS Self-Assessment
      • Help Me To Select
  • Support
    • FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
    • CGFNS Application Processing Times
    • Fee Schedule and Policies
    • Helpful Links and Resources
    • Select Your Country of Origin
  • Global Credibility
    • CGFNS Blog
    • Care Anywhere Podcast
    • Affecting Policy on the World Stage
    • Working Towards Health for All
    • Empowering Those Who Have Lost It All
    • Publications
    • Reports & Whitepapers
  • Organizations Served
    • Schools
    • Regulatory Authorities
    • Employers
    • International Health Workforce Recruiters
    • Enterprise Solutions
    • Work with Us
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Wizard
    • Subscribe
    • Republication Permissions
  • Select Your Service by U.S. State
  • Login
    • CGFNS CONNECT (For Applicants)
    • CES CONNECT (For State Boards of Nursing)
    • Authorized Agent Portal

Migrating to the United States as a Nurse: Understanding Your Recruitment Options

3 years ago
CGFNS Alliance, Ethical Recruitment

by Kaley Cook, of CGFNS International’s Alliance for Ethical International Recruitment Practices

This is a blog series from the Alliance for Ethical International Recruitment Practices covering the top questions and concerns that can arise in the recruitment process. You can visit the Alliance website for more information or contact staff@cgfnsalliance.org with questions.

There are several options for those seeking to migrate to the United States as a health professional. Decisions made early in the process can have a large impact on the overall experience, so conducting thorough research on all available options is crucial.

If you have decided to migrate to the United States as a health professional, one of the first decisions you will face is how to manage the migration process. It is possible to manage your migration to the United States on your own. In that case, you would manage your visa, travel, testing, U.S. licensure, as well as be fully responsible for all the associated costs.

Since the U.S. immigration process can be complex, lengthy, and expensive, many health systems and health professionals utilize recruitment firms to aid in matching candidates to locations. There are three main models:

Direct recruitment – Some hospitals choose to manage their own recruitment. In this case, you would be in direct communication with the institution where you would be working and sign a contract with that hospital or health center. This option is the least common, as most hospitals do not manage their own recruitment.

Staffing firms – The most common option is the use of a staffing firm. A staffing firm will help you throughout the immigration process and find you a place to work. Because of their widespread use, staffing firms have a lot of experience placing nurses, as they have large networks of opportunities across the United States. If you use a staffing firm, you will sign a contract with the firm for an agreed amount of time, (typically three years or under), and the location where you work may change during that time, as your contract will be with the staffing firm, not with a specific hospital or health center.

Placement firms – A placement firm will help you throughout the immigration process and connect you to a specific location in the U.S. for employment. If you use a placement firm, you will sign a contract directly with your future employer, as this model shares many of the same procedures as the direct recruitment model. You will also receive assistance during your migration process from the placement firm. This model was not widespread in the past, but it is becoming more common.

As you move forward with your migration plans, please give careful consideration to your recruitment options and thoroughly research any recruitment firm that you may use. Visit the Alliance website for a list of Certified Ethical Recruiters that recruit from all around the world and reach out to staff@cgfnsalliance.org with any questions.

Share with a Friend:
Media Contact

David St. John
Public Affairs and Media Relations Director
media@cgfns.org

Recent Posts

  • TruMerit™ (CGFNS) and the DAISY Foundation™ Honor Outstanding International Nurse Recruiters
  • CGFNS International to Change its Name to TruMerit™
  • CGFNS International reports nurse migration rates to the U.S. remained high in 2024 
  • New Podcast Examines Global Health Workforce Development and Health Worker Mobility
  • CGFNS International Joins WHO Stakeholder Network to Advance Rehabilitation Care

Archives

Categories

  • Announcements
  • CGFNS Alliance
  • Data, Statistics, & Reports on Migrant Nurses
  • Ethical Recruitment
  • Foreign Educated Nurses
  • Health for All
  • Media Mentions
  • Migrant Rights
  • News Release
  • Nursing Education
  • Nursing Retention
  • Personnel
  • Policy Briefs
  • Services
  • Thought Leadership
  • Uncategorized
  • Webinars

CGFNS has an exclusive partnership with Canadian nursing regulators and the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) to evaluate and validate the credentials of internationally-educated nurses looking to practice in Canada.

Continue to NNAS>>

Our mission

The mission of CGFNS International, Inc. is to serve the global community through programs and services that verify and promote the knowledge-based practice competencies of healthcare professionals.

Company

  • Home
  • About us
  • News
  • Careers
  • Contact us

Contact us

  • +1 215.222.8454
  • Get in touch
  • Subscribe to receive our news

Before you apply, you will need to set up a free account on the CGFNS Connect portal. Please follow the instructions on the following page to set up your account (click below to go to the portal).

Continue to CGFNS Connect Portal>>

If you already have an account, click here to login

Follow us
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram
Email
Share with a friend

Did you know?
CGFNS is now TruMerit, and we have a new website! You will now find the page you’re looking for here:

https://www.trumerit.org/migrating-to-the-united-states-as-a-nurse-understanding-your-recruitment-options/

Don’t forget to bookmark the new page and site for future reference. This site will soon be archived.

Privacy Policy
© 2025 CGFNS International, Inc. All rights reserved.