| 通过CGFNS考试或RN考试的护士不可不知的事情
最近有许多学生在通过RN考试后或获得CGFNS证书后，后续的出国相关手续应该怎么办才好，向我咨询，通过与他们的谈话，我发觉，许多同学对相关的美国法律，一知半解，甚至误解，以为有了CGFNS证书就万事OK，能到美国了，有的说替他办理手续的中介公司告诉他们，他们的美方合作公司，在美国很有实力，他们公司有护士配额，只要有CGFNS证书，马上可以替他们办理绿卡，3到12个月之内就能到美国当护士，有的说他跟中介公司签约办理绿卡手续都已经3年了，还是没有下文，还在等待…..等等；在此我就外国护士申请绿卡到美国工作的过程向各位同学做个说明，依照我们美国的法律，不是律师是不允许替客户做法律相关的说明的，因此这里只是帮忙学生申请身分过程中，个人的心得，和大家分享，希望能够帮助学生，避免犯错误。
附加说明:
一个外国护士要申请美国绿卡的条件:
<一>、 如果该护士在国内她必须:
a). 通过美国RN或CGFNS考试
b). 英语成绩达到雅思(学术级)6.5口语7.0或托福网考83分，口语26分
c). 找到美国医疗机构的雇主，签订工作合约，由雇主提出绿卡申请
d). 拿到绿卡后到美国工作。
当护士绿卡(schedule A)有名额时，前后费时约3年，如果护士绿卡(schedule A)没有名额时，他只能用EB3(工作移民第3类)申请，依照目前的进度大约要等10年，才能排到签证面谈。在没拿到绿卡前的这段时间只能在国内等绿卡，不能去美国。
在这里要提醒广大的中国护士，在通过CGFNS考试或RN考试后，不要被胜利冲昏了脑袋，以为有了CGFNS证书或RN执照后就大功告成了，被一些外行的中介，一鼓吹就匆匆签下合约，开始办理绿卡，憧憬着到美国，其实这才是噩梦的开始，因为如上文b)所示，要拿到绿卡必须要有<VisaScreen> 证书，而要拿到< VisaScreen > 证书必须要有英语成绩也就是通过雅思6.5口语7.0又或是通过托福网考83分，口语26分，如果不能拿到英语成绩，那你永远拿不到绿卡，去不了美国。更糟糕的是，因为他已经提出绿卡申请，也就是有移民的企图，他往后要申请其它非移民签证像是学生签证，商务观光签证….等都会非常非常困难的，因为通常美国签证官，拒绝给你签证的唯一理由，就是他觉得你有移民倾向，如果你提出绿卡申请后又申请其它种类的非移民签证(如B-1商务签证，F-1学生签证…)，那不是自打嘴巴吗? 因此通过CGFNS或RN考试的护士们，最好在取得合格的英语成绩后，再做申请绿卡的打算，许多不负责任的中介，吹牛说他们有特殊管道，有名额等等，只要和他们签约，能很快替你拿到绿卡等等，听过就好，千万别当真，他们再怎么有办法也不能越过美国移民法，有关护士移民或申请工作签证(H1-B)的相关规定，请参阅1996年修订的美国移民法第343条的相关规定。
申请学生签证或其它非移民签证先到美国，再申请绿卡其实是一种变通的方式。
<二>、 如果该护士已在美国(如我们在UCR的学生)她可以:
a). 通过RN考试后
b). 自己或我们替她找到美国医疗机构的雇主，签订工作合约，由雇主提出绿卡申请。
c). 有名额时，在提出绿卡申请的同时因为护士是美国长期短缺的劳工，不需花近1年的时间，提出劳工卡的申请 (这就是为什么 国会要通过护士特别名额的原因，该名额称为Schedule A) ，可以在申请绿卡的同时，提出工作许可 (working permit)的申请，大约三个月后就能拿到工作许可，可以正式合法的开始工作。
d). 在此阶段，护士因为已经在美国，可以一面工作，一面等绿卡，目前加州护士每周工作3天，每天12小时，不轮班，可以选择做白天班或晚班，晚班工资每小时多$1.5元，交班时间通常是，上午8点和晚上8点，每月工资约USD$5000元，约为人民币3万5仟，何况勤劳的话还可以工作4天或5天，工资也可以提高到7仟或8仟美金，与在国内工作相比每个月工资至少差距在RMB3万元以上。
f). 当然，护士要拿到绿卡是除RN证书外，必须要有英语成绩的，这须要在你提出绿卡申请后，1-2年之内完成。 同样等拿绿卡，在美国等待在国内等绿卡，工资的差异至少在人民币70万元以上。况且在美国的英语环境下，对你的通过口语考试是有很大的帮助的。
本文由美国美中文化交流协会曾繁耀博士提供
参考数资料
临床护士移民美国或工作签证的相关规定
Special Advisory to Employers of Foreign National Health Care Workers:
New Health Care Worker Certificate Requirement for Nonimmigrants Takes Effect July 26, 2004 June 25, 2004 Summary
Effective July 26, 2004, foreign health care workers – except physicians – must obtain a certificate
verifying their training and English language proficiency in order to be approved for temporary
nonimmigrant visas to work in clinical care positions in the United States.
The rule applies to all foreign national workers employed on temporary visas, including those
workers holding appropriate state licenses. The affected occupations are nurses, physical therapists,
occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists, medical technologists (also
known as clinical laboratory technologists), medical technicians (also known as clinical laboratory
technicians) and physician assistants.
Currently there is only one organization authorized to issue the new health care worker certificate.
That organization, the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS), issues a
certificate called VisaScreen™. The new rule affects new visa petitions, petitions for extensions of
nonimmigrant status, and nonimmigrant applications for visa-exempt Canadians. In addition,
starting July 26, 2004, foreign health care workers will be required to present the health care worker
certificate at the time they apply for admission at a land, air or sea port of entry.
Background
In July 2003, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a final rule implementing
section 343 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996
(P.L. 104-208). Under section 343, any foreign national coming to the United States for the purpose
of working as a nurse, physical therapist, speech-language pathologist, medical technologist,
medical technician, occupational therapist or physician assistant is inadmissible unless the foreign
national presents a certificate issued by CGFNS or another DHS-approved credentialing body.
The certificate’s purpose is to ensure that the foreign national health care professional’s education
is equivalent to that received through a U.S. program and that the individual has an unencumbered
license and is proficient in English. Although the underlying law was enacted in 1996, this rule was
previously applied only to individuals seeking permanent residence – a “green card.” A blanket
waiver had been in effect for nonimmigrant health care workers. Under the new rule, however, the waiver of the section 343 health care worker certification that had been in effect since passage of
the law will expire on July 26, 2004.
The New Regulation
Beginning July 26, 2004, any health care worker seeking to enter the United States, or applying for
a change of status or extension of status, must present a health care certificate, regardless of
licensure status in the United States. In addition, as of July 26, 2004, any nonimmigrant health care
worker subject to the rule (including those on TN, H-1B, H-2B and H-1C visas) must present a
VisaScreen™ certificate from CGFNS (or a similar certificate from another credentialing
organization) as a prerequisite to entry into the United States for employment as a health care
professional. An applicant for a certificate in the field of nursing must also successfully complete
either the CGFNS Qualifying Examination or the National Council Licensure Examination for
Registered Nurses or a predecessor exam.
The regulation applies even if the alien health care professional holds a valid U.S. license. The
regulation also applies in the case of a foreign national health care professional who is educated in
the United States. Under the regulation, a foreign national health care professional entering the
United States on a temporary employment visa, including a Canadian who crosses the border, must
present a health care certificate upon entering the United States.
The new certificate is not required for petitions filed before July 26, 2004; however, those petitions
will be approved for no more than one year. The rule continues to apply to green card applicants as
well, who must present a health care worker certificate at the time of adjusting status or obtaining
an immigrant visa on an employment-based immigrant visa petition. Certificates are not required
for family-based immigrant petitions.
Starting July 26, 2004, a foreign national health care worker must present the new health care
certificate when reentering the United States following international travel, even when in
possession of a valid visa or petition. The new requirement is of particular significance to foreign
national employees who plan to travel after July 26, 2004. Foreign health care workers returning
from vacations, business meetings, or other international travel will not be admitted into the United
States without a new health care worker certificate. This applies to subject individuals with valid
and unexpired visas, including Canadian nationals who apply for admission at land border ports of
entry.
For more information on the VisaScreen™ certificate issued by CGFNS, visit www.cgfns.org.
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