Travel nursing to the states (E.g Michigan, New York, etc.

Hello friends!

Hello friends!

I’ve been an RPN for 7+ years working in acute care at a hospital in Southern Ontario, and I’m currently in my final year of an RPN-to-RN bridging program at Georgian College.

As I get closer to finishing school, I’ve been exploring different options for my nursing career, including potentially working in the U.S. I’m really interested in gaining new experiences, seeing what opportunities are available outside of Ontario, and of course looking at the potential for better pay.

I’ve mainly been looking into RN opportunities in Michigan and New York because they’re relatively close to home. I’ve also been researching both staff nursing positions and travel nursing, but there’s so much information online that it’s hard to know what the process is actually like from a Canadian nurse’s perspective.

Has anyone here worked in Michigan or New York as a Canadian RN?

I’d love to hear about:

• What the licensing/endorsement process was like
• Whether you needed a VisaScreen or TN visa
• How difficult it was to get hired as a Canadian nurse
• Staff nursing vs. travel nursing in the U.S.
• Whether Canadian nursing experience counted toward your pay/experience level
• What the pay and benefits were like compared with Ontario
• Any agencies or hospitals you would recommend or avoid
• Anything you wish you knew before making the move

I’m still in the research stage, so I’d really appreciate hearing about anyone’s personal experience, especially nurses who continued living in Ontario and crossed the border for work.

Thanks in advance! 😊