Relocation confusion (?)

Hello!

I'm a Canadian new grad as of June 2011, and I was wondering if anyone can give me some guidance regarding finding a job in the US. I understand you're all having just as much of an issue with employment as we are here, but I was still hoping I could get some help, even if someone could link me to resources. I checked out the State of NY Nursing Board, but the website still left me a little confused. As far as I know first I'd have to pass the NCLEX, and of course get all the immigration and working visa stuff out of the way, but other then that I'm really not sure how to go about applying for, and someday, landing a job and relocating. Thank you in advance.

Take care!
Getting a job in the US as a new grad may be more difficult now than it was several years ago.To get a working visa, you will need to have a job offer first. The hospital will also have to agree to sponsor you (and pay several thousands of dollars in fees) for your visa. Being sponsored as a brand new grad is more difficult than if you were an experienced nurse with a particular advanced skill set that other US nurses did not have (neurosurgical or burn nursing, for example).You are going to have to pass the US NCLEX examination to get a US RN license. I recommend looking at the website for the Council for Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (cgfns.org) to see what you need to qualify to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam.I would recommend that you get a US RN license first. Then start the job search process and see if you can find a US employer that is willing to take non-American new grads.