julie4071

We are considering a move to the USA, in particular Florida. Just beginning to the research and it looks an absolute minefield!

I would appreciate any help and guidance in what is involved and where exactly I start.

I fully understand that often people do not consider the implications of working where they have once holidayed, however, in my profession, I have vast knowledge of friends/family who have emigrated abroad and I am fully aware that living and working in a holiday destination is a hugely different.

It would also appear that the States is certainly not as easy as other countries who try to 'lure' us with their excellent relocation packages etc, it really does appear this is probably one of the hardest countries to obtain a work visa for!!

I am a Nurse trained Midwife educated to a Masters level, I also have additional qualifications in mentoring students and I am also a qualified Examiner of the Newborn. I understand the States do not recognise the autonomous practice of a Midwife quite the same as the UK. Is a Midwife still considered a professional of interest in Florida? We have visited Florida many times, we also have friends who emigrated and live on the Gulf Coast.

I have tentatively emailed some immigration lawyers, but this forum seems a good place to start.

Any help/guidance would be very much appreciated with regards a way forward.

Thank you in anticipation

Pulaski

For starters, your qualifications are worthless in the US. Hypothetically, if you could get a visa, you would have to recertify, which would mean a lot of exams and possibly some courses from scratch.

As far as getting a visa goes, please go look at the two Pulaski wikis in the USA area of the wikis tab above.

jeffreyhy

One good place to start would be the 'Search' function of this web site. There was a thread on this subject in September. only 2 months ago.

Regards. JEff

julie4071

Goodness Pulaski.. whilst I thank you for your prompt reply, it appears my naivety is quite severe! Its incredible to think my qualifications are completely worthless!

My preliminary, informal research with US Embassy and a couple of Attorney Services suggested "As a nurse-trained midwife you should not have to go through labour certification". I have to be honest and admit I am unsure what this means which is what brought me to this site.

I have had a brief look at the Pulaski links on this site....I shall go back and have a more detailed look.

Regards

Bob

Realistically, slim chances.

Would need to find someone to sponsor you and as a midwife, chances are slim to none and getting state certified might involve starting from scratch or close to it.

If you've taught the subject at university, your chances might improve.

Your biggest problem is, apart from not being state certified is that it costs several thousand bucks to sponsor someone and nurses are dime a dozen and when a local person could start tomorrow rather than waiting several months and not cost a penny, you've got a lot to over come.

Good luck though!

christmasoompa

Canada maybe? Still tough, but not pretty much impossible like the US.

Or I don't know about Oz/NZ, but they may be an option?

Good luck.

notshipman

It probably is a bit superficial to say 'qualifications worthless in the US' as Pulaski says. In fact I would say that is quite insulting frankly. If that were true then all UK qualifications are garbage which is frankly not true.

There will be a licensing exam like for myself most likely (physicians). Do that and you are good to go providing there is a need for overseas trained midwives. That I have no idea.

Sally Redux

Aren't the nurses subject to a limit on visa numbers? Just from what I've seen on here.

Nutmegger

Yes, I recall reading about nursing visas being in retrogression. I think that Silverdragon is a knowledgeable poster about this -- OP could search for his/her posts.

sir_eccles

You would also need to check individual state laws regarding midwives. Some are very restrictive with regards to how they can practice mainly due to lobbying by obs and gyn. Some states recognize different levels of midwife, certified, certified nurse etc etc. each would have different opportunities and requirements and restrictions.

Pulaski

I'm sorry you objected to my choice of words, but most qualifications of a professional nature, including, so far as I can tell all qualifications of a medical nature, neither count directly towards qualifications required for a job or profession, nor can they be evaluated/ translated for credits towards a US qualification.

Granted, there may be a fast track for recertification to equivalent US qualifications, but until you have been through what is typically, I hear, a pretty rigorous recertification process, an immigrant's overseas nursing qualifications are of no immediate value in obtaining work. This is a huge hurdle to overcome for someone who might expect to walk off the plane and into a well paid job but instead faces months of courses, training, and exams.

Lbjen

Let's also not forget that US prenatal care is not structured like it is in the UK.

Pregnant mothers see OB-GYns as a rule rather than midwives. In most states midwives work as independent practitioners, and in most cases it's difficult to get your insurance to cover their fees.

You'd have to retrain/certify in another area if you wanted to be sponsored and then employed rather than finding the funds to open your own practice.

notshipman

Well in that case fyi the US medical MD from a US university completed by a US citizen does not count towards a job or profession in medicine as they have to sit exactly the same USMLE exam that an overseas trained MD has to before they can work.

In the medical field it is not about credits or being equivalent to US qualifications as everyone no matter what their background has to sit the licensing exam before they can work. The location of the qualifying degree including US degrees is irrelevant.

Opinion changed now I hope

Lbjen

http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tl oc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=22&pt=11&ch=217&rl=4

Requirements to apply to sit for licensing exams in Tx. You can't just take the exam, you have to qualify to take it.

Pulaski

So the OP who is qualified and certified to work in the UK applies for a job in the US head to head with an applicant already qualified and certified to work in the US. How far do you think the OP's British qualifications are going to get her?