Nurse visa routes in United States of America
Thinking about United States of America as a place to work? Below are the 4 United States of America visa routes that most commonly fit nurses, with what each one needs and a link to the official government source. Always confirm the current rules on the primary source before acting.
Also searched as: registered nurse, RN, staff nurse, adult nurse.
What this means for nurses
Of the 4 United States of America routes that commonly fit nurses, 3 need a sponsoring employer and 1 does not, 2 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Nurses work in a regulated field, so immigration approval is only half the journey: in most countries you must also clear a separate professional-registration or licensing step before you can practise in United States of America. That recognition process often takes as long as the visa itself, so it is worth starting in parallel.
The most-used skilled route into United States of America overall is the H-1B Specialty Occupation; it is not specific to nurses but is worth understanding as the benchmark route.
Typical figures — TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Worked-example route cost
US$80
Canadian citizen, port-of-entry filing
TD dependants who need consular visas pay the USD 185 MRV fee where required. A TD change or extension inside the United States uses Form I-539: USD 470 by paper or USD 420 online where available. 8 CFR 214.6 says there is no TN admission fee for spouse and minor-child admission, but verify any I-94, appointment, courier or local charges before travel.
Verified 1 July 2026 · USCIS / CBP / State Department TN fee sources
How long it takes
No fixed national clock published
USCIS - TN USMCA Professionals does not publish one fixed, route-wide end-to-end processing time that can be stated responsibly for this application route.
Use the current USCIS - TN USMCA Professionals service for the responsible mission, service centre, authority or live processing-time tool before applying.
Verified 10 September 2026 · USCIS - TN USMCA Professionals
Occupation salary-floor answer
Nurse salary floor in United States of America
Verified 8 July 2026
Salary floor
No route-specific floor mapped
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) eligibility
No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test.
Compare this occupation across priority destinations · Source datasets: /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/visas
Licensing vs visa timeline
Nurse: visa vs licensing timeline in United States of America
Version 2026-07-02
This separates the immigration filing track from the profession, regulator or recognition track. It uses route source data and cost-to-complete evidence; it is indicative and not legal advice.
Visa track
- 1
Confirm route fit
Before relying on an offer
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) is the representative route for this profession page. It requires a sponsor or job offer and is not mapped as a direct settlement route.
- 2
Check current route figures
Before budgeting
Current source-backed figures on this page include processing No fixed national clock published, government cost US$80.
Source: Visa Atlas figure datasets
- 3
Follow the official application pathway
After route fit is clear
Letter matches duties to USMCA profession and confirms temporary intent.
Licensing / recognition track
- 1
USMCA profession eligibility gate
Usually before filing or before start date
US$0
No separate fee, but the offered role must fit a profession in Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A of Chapter 16 of the USMCA and the applicant must hold the required credentials.
- 2
Prearranged U.S. employer support-letter gate
Usually before filing or before start date
US$0
TN is for prearranged professional activity for a U.S. employer or entity. The employer letter must describe the profession, duties, stay length, qualifications and remuneration.
Source: 8 CFR 214.6 - 1 July 2026
- 3
TN processing / inspection fee at CBP
Usually before filing or before start date
US$50
Canadian-citizen direct admission baseline. 8 CFR 214.6 points Canadian TN admission to the prescribed fee, and 8 CFR 103.7(d)(11) lists the professional-business-activity request at USD 50.
Source: 8 CFR 103.7(d)(11) - 1 July 2026
- 4
Attorney or TN package-preparation fees
Conditional before start date
US$500-US$2,500
Common professional-service range for occupation mapping, employer-letter drafting, credential review and CBP/consular packet assembly. Not a government fee and not legally required in every case.
Source: Indicative immigration counsel range - verify engagement quote - 1 July 2026
Cost-to-complete evidence: /cost-to-complete/us-tn . Method: Compares the representative visa track with profession-sensitive recognition, registration or skills-assessment evidence found in the route cost model; it does not create country-specific regulator claims when no source-backed line exists. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/cost-to-complete, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times.
Source basis
This profession page uses United States of America's official immigration portal plus the primary government source for each matched route. The route cards link to full eligibility and source records.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- USCIS — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — Employment-Based Immigration: Second Preference EB-2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- USCIS — Employment-Based Immigration: Third Preference EB-3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
- US Department of State — J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program
U.S. Department of State - verified
- USCIS - TN USMCA Professionals
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - verified
Routes that fit nurses
EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)
Second-preference green card with a waiver of the job offer and PERM labor certification, where the beneficiary’s work is in the US national interest.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers
Third-preference employment-based green card requiring employer sponsorship and PERM labor certification.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement · Permanent residence.
J-1 Exchange Visitor
Exchange visitor visa covering academic scholars, students, trainees, interns, researchers, au pairs, and other exchange programs.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Program-dependent: from weeks (intern) to up to 5 years (research scholar).
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)
Non-immigrant work visa under USMCA for Canadian and Mexican citizens in listed professions.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Up to 3 years; renewable indefinitely while activity continues.
Figures by route
Verified salary floor and processing window per matched route, each primary-sourced. Indicative, not legal advice.
| Route | Salary floor | Processing | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) | — | No fixed national clock published | Yes |
| EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers | — | No fixed national clock published | Yes |
| J-1 Exchange Visitor | — | No fixed national clock published | No |
| TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) | — | No fixed national clock published | No |
Frequently asked questions
Which visa routes suit nurses moving to United States of America?+
United States of America has 4 routes that commonly fit nurses: EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW), EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers, J-1 Exchange Visitor, TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico). The best fit depends on whether you already have an employer sponsor, your salary, and your qualifications — open any route below for its full eligibility criteria and primary government source.
Do nurses need a job offer to move to United States of America?+
Not always. 1 of the 4 matched United States of America routes can be pursued without an employer sponsoring you (such as the EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)), while 3 need a sponsoring employer or a confirmed job offer. If you do not yet have an offer, start with the no-sponsor routes.
Can nurses settle permanently in United States of America?+
Yes. 2 of the 4 matched routes lead toward settlement or permanent residence, while the others are temporary or transitional. Permanent-residence timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
Do nurses need to requalify or register to work in United States of America?+
Nurses work in a regulated field, so immigration approval is only half the journey: in most countries you must also clear a separate professional-registration or licensing step before you can practise in United States of America. That recognition process often takes as long as the visa itself, so it is worth starting in parallel.
What salary do nurses need in United States of America?+
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) does not have one fixed numeric floor in the mapped salary-threshold record. No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test. Source: USCIS - TN USMCA Professionals, verified 8 July 2026.
How much does the TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) cost in government fees?+
For the worked example (Canadian citizen, port-of-entry filing), government fees total about US$80 (USCIS / CBP / State Department TN fee sources, verified 1 July 2026). Treat as indicative and confirm the current schedule on the official source.
How long does the TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) take to process?+
The typical published decision window is No fixed national clock published (USCIS - TN USMCA Professionals, verified 10 September 2026).