From Ghana to your US nursing career
Ghanaian-trained RNs have a clear ~2-year EB-3 path. Note: Ghana has WHO Global Code considerations on health-worker recruitment — your US employer's recruitment practices matter.
Available US visa pathways
The six US work visa pathways most relevant to internationally-trained nurses. Status reflects eligibility for nationals of Ghana, not certainty of approval.
| Pathway | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
EB-3 + Schedule A Permanent (green card) | Available | ~2yr wait (Rest of World). |
TN (USMCA) Temporary, renewable | Not applicable | Ghana is not party to USMCA. |
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 Ghana nurse diaspora in the US
The Ghanaian diaspora in the USA is a growing community of roughly 235,000–241,000 first- and second-generation individuals as of 2024-2026, largely concentrated in New York, Virginia, New Jersey, and Maryland
Sources: CGFNS 2023 Nurse Migration Report, HRSA NSSRN, NCSBN National Nursing Workforce Study, Migration Policy Institute.
CGFNS & NCLEX-RN
Ghana is among the top 10 source countries for CGFNS VisaScreen applicants and has shown substantial growth since 2018. Ghana appears on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List 2023, and bilateral context with the UK NHS affects recruitment framing (CGFNS 2023 Nurse Migration Report).
Sources: CGFNS 2023 Nurse Migration Report (Bakhshi, Álvarez, Cook, Maiyer — CGFNS International, Inc.), NCSBN NCLEX examination statistics.
NCLEX-RN testing centers near Ghana
Ghana does not currently have an NCLEX testing center. Ghanaian candidates typically travel to Johannesburg (South Africa), Nairobi (Kenya), or the United Kingdom (London) to sit for the exam.
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 Ghana
Nursing & Midwifery Council of Ghana (NMC) handles credential verification. Bilateral context with the UK NHS may affect framing.