Test requirements for Filipino nurses to work in the U.S.

Tests Required for Filipino Nurses

The following tests will need to be passed to qualify for a U.S. work visa:

NCLEX®
VisaScreen™ Certificate
IELTS or TOEFL (TWE & TSE)
CGFNS certificate (or RN license from state of intended employment) - Required by most U.S. state boards of nursing in order to be eligible to apply for licensure within that state.

NCLEX® Exam - An application-based test, consisting of four major categories and eight subcategories, which is organized according to the framework: "Meeting Client Needs." All of the exam questions involve integrated, not separated, nursing content. Nurses are tested on critical-thinking skills to make nursing judgments. The NCLEX currently costs $200* + an international scheduling fee of $150 plus a Value Added Tax (VAT) where applicable.

VisaScreen™ Certificate - Program offered by the International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP, a division of CGFNS) enabling healthcare professionals to meet U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requirement of verifying and evaluating nursing credentials to ensure that they meet the government minimum requirements. The VisaScreen™ is comprised of an educational analysis, licensure validation, English-language proficiency assessment (IELTS or TOEFL [TWE+TSE] satisfies this requirement), and for nurses, an exam of nursing knowledge. This currently costs $398*.

IELTS or TOEFL (TWE & TSE):

IELTS: Candidates complete four modules - listening, reading, writing and speaking to obtain an IELTS Test Report Form. Total Test Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

For the TOEFL, TWE and TSE, registered nurses must submit a score of 540 on the written TOEFL or 207 on the computer- based TOEFL, 4.0 on the TWE and 50 on the TSE.

The Test of Spoken English (TSE) lasts approximately 20 minutes and there are nine questions on the test to which you respond. The Test of Written English (TWE®) is also required for everyone taking the paper-based TOEFL test. Test takers are given 30 minutes to write a short essay on an assigned topic. The essay is evaluated on the test taker's ability to support and organize new ideas and to use standard written English. Special knowledge of the topic is not needed to write the essay.

The IELTS currently costs Php 8,960* which is about $173.

Education Australia Philippines and the British Council conducts IELTS tests in the following cities, contact them directly for test dates:Makati, Pasig, Bacolod, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City, Davao, Iloilo, Zamboanga

TOEFL can be taken via a written test or via computer. Prometric, a division of Thomson Learning offers the computer-based test in the Philippines at:

Cebu City International STC #8473
c/o Train, Educ & Dev Cons Inc Suite
308-Centro Maximo D Jakosalem ST
Cebu City
Phone: +63 32.253.5514
Site Code: 8473
Manila, Philippines #8479
Ateneo Professional Schools, 130 H
De La Costa Street, Salcedo Village
Makati City 1200
Phone: +63 2.892.0383
Site Code: 8479
The University of the Philippines in Diliman and the International School in Makati also offer the TOEFL.

The TOEFL costs US$140* (which is about 7,250 PHP*) for either the Computer-Based Test or the Paper-Based Test (PBT) and includes 1 examinee score record and 4 score recipients.

CGFNS: Includes the Certification Program; which is is comprised of three parts: a credentials review of the nurse's education, registration and licensure; the CGFNS Qualifying Exam testing nursing knowledge; and an English language proficiency exam; plus the Credentials Evaluation Service (CES), which analyzes international credentials in terms of how they compare with U.S. standards and expectations of multiple types and levels of healthcare professionals educated outside of the U.S., or with an international educational background. This currently costs $368* for new applicants.

* Disclaimer: Please note the costs of the aforementioned tests are current at the time of uploading of data. Fees (and foreign exchange rates are subject to change without notice. Taxes will be added where applicable. Please confirm the exact cost with the organization in charge of administering the respective test. Most US employers will reimburse the cost of the examination fees, kindly check with your employer or prospective employer for more details.

See Process for details related to the timeline to secure a U.S. working visa.Filipino Nurses portal, international recruiting of registered nurses, US visa