What is a Health Care Worker Certification?
　　A health care worker certification identifies and documents that a foreign health care worker has met minimum requirements for training, licensure, and English proficiency in order to be able to fulfill their professional role as a(n):
　　?   Licensed practical nurse, licensed vocational nurse, or registered nurse
　　?   Occupational therapist
　　?   Physical therapist
　　?   Speech language pathologist and audiologist
　　?   Medical technologist (clinical laboratory scientist)
　　?   Physician assistant
　　?   Medical technician (clinical laboratory technician)
　　Who Must Obtain a Health Care Worker Certification?
　　Any non-U.S. citizen coming to the United States for employment as a health care worker (other than a physician) cannot be admitted unless he or she presents a certificate from either the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) or a certificate of equal standing from an organization with equivalent credentials. These requirements apply to both immigrant and nonimmigrant applicants. Regarding visa classification, nonimmigrant health care workers will most likely be in H-1C, H-1B, J, O, or TN non-immigrant categories. Any non-immigrants coming to receive training in a health care occupation will not be required to obtain certification. Such health care workers will most likely be in F-1, J-1 (aliens coming to undertake a training program in a medical field) and H-3 nonimmigrant classifications. Please note that each of these visa classifications has additional requirements. Please go to our Nonimmigrant Visa or our Immigrant Visa Classification pages for more information on visa categories.
　　Are Nonimmigrants Subject to the Health Care Worker Certification Requirements?
　　Yes, as of July 26, 2004, if a nonimmigrant is seeking to be admitted to the United States, is changing status, and/or is requesting an extension of stay, he or she must provide evidence of health care worker certification if the primary purpose for coming to or remaining in the United States is employment in one of the affected health care occupations. Previously, under section 212(d)(3) of the Act, the CIS and the Department of State waived Health Care Worker certification requirements for nonimmigrants, while requiring it for immigrants. After careful consideration of the statute and legislative history, it has been determined that nonimmigrants are also subject to the certification requirements.
　　Which Organizations Are Currently Authorized to Issue Health Care Worker Certificates? The following organizations are authorized to issue certificates for the following health care occupations:
　　?   The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) is authorized to issue certificates to all 7 health care occupations.
　　?   The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy is authorized to issue certificates for occupational therapists.
　　?   The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy is authorized to issue certificates for physical therapists.
　　Which English Language Testing Organizations Are Approved for Purposes of Health Care Worker Certification?
　　Every alien must meet certain English language requirements in order to obtain a certificate unless otherwise exempted. The following testing services had been approved:
　　1.      Educational Testing Service (ETS)
　　2.      Test of English in International Communication (TOEIC)
　　3.      International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
　　What are the Acceptable English Language Test Scores for Health Care Worker Certification?
　　The statute vests the Secretary of Health and Human Services with the sole discretion to determine the minimum scores required for a Health Care Worker Certification.
　　?   Occupational and physical therapists. An alien seeking to perform labor in the United States as an occupational or physical therapist must obtain the following scores on the English tests:
　　ETS: Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Paper-Based 560, Computer-Based 220; Test of Written English (TWE): 4.5; Test of Spoken English (TSE): 50.
　　Important: The certifying organizations shall not accept the results of the TOEIC, or the IELTS for the occupations of occupational therapy or physical therapy.
　　?   Registered nurses and other health care workers requiring the attainment of a baccalaureate degree. An alien coming to the United States to perform labor as a registered nurse (other than a nurse presenting a certified statement under section 212(r) of the Act) or to perform labor in another health care occupation requiring a baccalaureate degree (other than occupational or physical therapy) must obtain one of the following combinations of scores to obtain a certificate: