Becoming an international travel nurse requires a nursing degree, at least one to two years of clinical experience, and a willingness to navigate the licensing process of whichever country you want to work in. Every destination has its own credentialing system, language requirements, and visa rules, so the path looks different depending on where you go. But the core steps are the same: get qualified at home, prove your credentials abroad, pass the right exams, and secure a work visa.
Education and Experience You Need First
You can enter nursing with either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Both qualify you to sit for the NCLEX and become a registered nurse. That said, a BSN opens more doors internationally. Many countries and staffing agencies prefer or require a four-year degree, and if you’re applying for a visa to the United States as a foreign nurse, holding a bachelor’s degree can qualify you under the EB-3 “professional” category, which simplifies part of the immigration process.
Most travel nursing agencies require at least one to two years of bedside experience in a hospital setting before they’ll place you. Some destinations and specialties expect more. Critical care, emergency, and operating room experience tend to be the most in-demand globally, because those are the units with the deepest staffing shortages. The stronger your clinical background, the more countries and facilities will be open to you.
Proving Your Credentials Abroad
No country will simply accept your nursing license from back home. You’ll need to go through a credential evaluation that confirms your education and training meet local standards. The specifics vary by destination, but the process generally involves submitting your nursing school transcripts, proof of licensure, and verification of your work history to a regulatory body in the country where you want to practice.
United States
If you trained outside the U.S. and want to work there, state boards of nursing require you to apply through CGFNS International to have your academic and professional credentials evaluated. This process checks that your documents are authentic and that your education is comparable to U.S. nursing standards. Depending on the state, you may also need to pass the CGFNS Qualifying Exam, which tests your readiness for the U.S. licensure exam (NCLEX-RN).
Beyond credentialing, U.S. law requires all internationally trained nurses to complete a screening program before they can receive an occupational visa. CGFNS runs the VisaScreen program, which is approved by the Department of Homeland Security to validate credentials for foreign healthcare workers, including registered nurses. Your VisaScreen certificate must be included on every visa or green card petition filed on your behalf. You cannot skip this step.
United Kingdom
To practice in the UK, you register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). International applicants must pass a two-part Test of Competence. Part one is a computer-based test costing £83 that covers nursing knowledge. Part two is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) costing £794, which evaluates your hands-on clinical skills in a simulated setting. Both must be passed before you can register and begin working.
Australia
Australia’s Nursing and Midwifery Board requires internationally qualified nurses to complete an Outcome-Based Assessment (OBA). Like the UK, this is a two-stage process. The first stage is a computer-based multiple-choice exam testing your nursing knowledge. The second is an OSCE that assesses clinical skills. Registration is managed through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and you’ll need to check their current fee schedule, as costs are updated periodically.
Middle East
Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE use their own licensing exams, typically administered through Prometric testing centers. Saudi Arabia’s licensing body, the SCFHS, even offers remote proctored exams you can take from your computer at home. In addition to passing the exam, most Gulf countries require a Dataflow verification, which is an independent background check on your education, employment history, and professional references. The entire process can take several months, so start early.
Language Proficiency Exams
If English isn’t your first language, nearly every English-speaking destination requires you to prove proficiency through a standardized test. The two most widely accepted exams are the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and the OET (Occupational English Test), which is designed specifically for healthcare professionals.
For the United States, the benchmark most state nursing boards use is an IELTS score of 6.5 or an equivalent OET score of 300 in reading, writing, and listening. Speaking requirements are often higher: most states require an IELTS 7.0 or OET 350 for speaking. A handful of states set all four sections at 300, while South Carolina requires 350 across the board. Washington state is an outlier on the lenient end, accepting a speaking score of just 280. Check your specific state’s requirements before you sit for the exam.
The UK and Australia have their own minimum scores, set by the NMC and AHPRA respectively. The OET is widely accepted in both countries and often preferred because its test scenarios mirror real clinical communication rather than general academic English.
Visas and Work Authorization
Securing a work visa is often the longest and most complex part of the process. You’ll need a job offer from an employer willing to sponsor your visa before you can apply.
In the United States, most internationally trained nurses enter through the EB-3 employment-based immigrant visa. Registered nurses fall under “Schedule A” occupations, which means the Department of Labor has already determined there aren’t enough U.S. workers to fill these roles. That designation removes one major hurdle: your employer doesn’t need to go through the usual labor certification process to prove no American could do the job. Your employer files a petition on your behalf, and your VisaScreen certificate must accompany it. Processing times fluctuate, so use the USCIS case processing time tool for current estimates. Plan for the process to take many months, and in some cases well over a year.
Other countries have their own visa categories. The UK uses a Health and Care Worker visa, which has reduced fees and faster processing for nursing roles. Australia offers several skilled worker visa pathways, and nursing consistently appears on its skilled occupation lists. Gulf states typically arrange work visas directly through the hiring hospital or staffing agency, which handles most of the paperwork on your behalf.
Working With a Staffing Agency
Most international travel nurses don’t navigate this process alone. Specialized staffing agencies recruit nurses for overseas placements and handle much of the credentialing, visa paperwork, and job matching. A good agency will guide you through each country’s requirements, connect you with employers, and negotiate your contract.
Typical travel nursing contracts run about 12 to 13 weeks, though international assignments are often longer to justify the visa process and relocation. Agencies generally cover or reimburse travel costs and provide per diems for meals and daily expenses. Housing assistance, either a stipend or arranged accommodation, is common. Before signing, confirm what’s included in your specific contract, because benefits vary significantly between agencies and destinations.
A Realistic Timeline
From the moment you decide to pursue international travel nursing, expect the process to take anywhere from six months to two years before you’re actually working in another country. The biggest variables are credential evaluation (which can take weeks to months depending on your country of origin), exam scheduling and results, and visa processing. Here’s a rough order of operations:
- Months 1 to 3: Research your target country, gather transcripts and documents, begin your credential evaluation, and register for language proficiency exams if needed.
- Months 3 to 6: Take and pass required exams (language proficiency, competency tests, or licensing exams). Connect with staffing agencies.
- Months 6 to 12+: Secure a job offer, complete visa applications, and wait for processing. Use this time to prepare for the transition: research local healthcare culture, housing, and cost of living.
Some destinations move faster than others. Gulf countries can process nurses in as little as three to four months once exams are passed. The U.S. EB-3 visa pathway is notoriously slower. The UK and Australia fall somewhere in between, with timelines heavily influenced by how quickly you pass the clinical exams.
Choosing the Right Destination
Where you go depends on what matters most to you. The United States offers some of the highest nursing salaries in the world but has the most complex and time-consuming visa process. The UK provides a streamlined pathway for healthcare workers and a lower cost of entry, though salaries are more modest. Australia combines strong pay with high quality of life, but its clinical exams have a reputation for being rigorous. The Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE, often offers tax-free salaries with employer-provided housing, making it attractive for nurses who want to save aggressively.
Each destination also differs in what nursing looks like day to day. Nurse-to-patient ratios, scope of practice, documentation systems, and workplace culture vary enormously. Talk to nurses who’ve worked in your target country before committing. Online nursing forums and agency recruiters can connect you with people who’ve been through the process recently and can give you an honest picture of what to expect on the ground.