Recruiting international nurses can take a year or more

Health care facilities looking to fill vacancies with international nurses should be prepared to face competition and significant wait times, recruiting experts told HealthLeaders Media this week. Hiring Filipino nurses, who make up 30% of the nation’s internationally trained nurses, typically takes six to 12 months, but the pandemic has led to reduced hours at U.S. embassies, which process visas. The American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment reports the current backlog of international nurses waiting for interviews to obtain U.S. visa clearance surpasses 5,000 applicants. The United States offers expedited work authorization to Canadian and Mexican citizens as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement. (HealthLeaders Media article, 1/17/22)