From Canada to your US nursing career
Canadian-trained nurses have several US visa options — TN (USMCA), EB-3 + Schedule A, H-1B, F-1 → OPT → EB-3, and EB-2 NIW. As USMCA citizens, Canadians also qualify for the TN visa.
Available US visa pathways
The six US work visa pathways most relevant to internationally-trained nurses. Status reflects eligibility for nationals of Canada, not certainty of approval.
| Pathway | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
EB-3 + Schedule A Permanent (green card) | Available | ~2yr wait. TN visa is also available under USMCA. |
TN (USMCA) Temporary, renewable | Available | Canadian RNs apply at port of entry with USMCA documentation. |
H-1B1 (FTA) Temporary, Chile/Singapore only | Not applicable | Reserved for Chilean and Singaporean nationals only. |
H-1B Temporary, lottery-capped (cap-exempt employers exist) | Conditional | Requires BSN + specialty role; lottery-capped, but cap-exempt employers (universities, teaching hospitals, nonprofits) are not subject to the lottery. |
EB-2 NIW Permanent (green card), self-petition | Conditional | — |
F-1 → OPT → EB-3 Student → permanent path | Available | — |
Source: USCIS, DOL Schedule A, USMCA Annex 16-A. Last updated April 2026.
EB-3 priority date queue (May 2026)
If you file for an employment-based green card, the wait depends on your country of chargeability. Where each category stands today:
- Rest of World(yours)~2 years
- Mexico~2 years
- Philippines~3 years
- China~5 years
- India12+ years
Source: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin for May 2026 (travel.state.gov). Refreshed monthly.
The Canada nurse diaspora in the US
Canada ranked 2nd among top source countries for CGFNS VisaScreen certificates in FY 2023 at 8% of all applicants, though this was down 7 percentage points from the prior year (CGFNS 2023 Nurse Migration Report). Canada requires a baccalaureate nursing degree for licensure, aligning well with US requirements. Canadian nurses are also increasingly a destination themselves — provinces have developed fast-tracked pathways for foreign-educated nurses, making Canada a popular alternative for Indian nurses facing the US EB-3 backlog.
Sources: CGFNS 2023 Nurse Migration Report, HRSA NSSRN, NCSBN National Nursing Workforce Study, Migration Policy Institute.
NCLEX-RN testing centers in Canada
Canada has NCLEX testing centers operated by Pearson VUE:
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Calgary
- Edmonton
- Montreal
- Ottawa
- Winnipeg
- Regina
- Saskatoon
- Surrey
Source: Pearson VUE / NCSBN international NCLEX testing center list. Locations may change quarterly — verify on nclex.com before scheduling.
What you'll need to clear in Canada
Provincial nursing regulators (CNO, BCCNM, etc.) handle your home-country license. There's no exit-visa concept; credential portability and US state-board licensure are the real work.