Comment on American wanting to move abroad, what's the best bet for an registered nurse?

skullgiver@popplesburger.hilciferous.nl ⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

I don’t want to dash your hopes of emigrating to a better country, but don’t underestimate how painful emigration can be. You can’t just pick a country and move there. Moving countries is not like moving states. You’ll need to convince the country you’re going that you’re worth letting in. If I were you, I’d start with a list of countries that might be willing to let you in, and work your way down from there.

I would suggest Europe, the Nordics in particular; the Nordics are some of the best countries to live in in the entire world, with (in my opinion) rather pleasant politics in comparison. Germany and other north-western countries tend to score well too, but you’ll have to look into how much they match your ideals and culture. Europe is generally on pretty good terms with the USA, which helps a lot. However, you’re not alone in wanting to move there. Don’t be surprised if the process of applying for permission to enter the country takes months to years and several thousand dollars in paperwork, time and money you don’t get back if you’re refused. Things can go a bit smoother if you’ve got a claim on citizenship by blood or family history, but that too can take time and paperwork to arrange, and is entirely dependent on the current laws in the countries your ancestors are from.

In many countries, being a highly skilled worker gives you a major advantage. However, your nursing education may not be accredited in other countries, or be considered “highly skilled” enough; with some bad luck, you may need to go back to school in your country of choice to get your education revalidated (if you’re let in for that). The same goes for driver’s licenses and certifications you may have achieved over the years.

One trick you may be able to use if you’re of European descent is getting European citizenship by blood (I believe Italy, Spain, and a bunch of other countries allow for this) and then use the freedom the Schengen accords provide to move elsewhere in Europe, skipping a whole lot of paperwork. This way, you can, for example, work in Denmark without needing to go through the strict Danish immigration system (though validating your education may still need work).

Just as an example: if you want to apply for a license for a general nurse in Norway as a non-EEA citizen, processing time takes at least 11 months if you provide all the required paperwork and costs $152 to file (which you don’t get back if you’re refused). You need a license to be a general nurse; without a license, you can’t do your job. Without a job, you can’t just move there; you can get a temporary holiday visa but you can’t apply for jobs with that. This is on top of the other requirements, like speaking B2 level Norwegian. If you apply, you may be given a deadline to conform with the requirements.

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