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Advice is needed/Immigration EB3 Visa - Sterberg3333 - 01-01-2026
Background:
When I had just finished high school, my parents forced me to go to medical school to become a nurse. I was very young and inexperienced at that time, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do in my life, so I agreed. Additionally, I am from a small town (a rural area) in a developing country in Southern Europe, and in my town there was only this medical school. Maybe this is the main reason why my parents so deliberately wanted me to study there. They didn’t pay anything for my education because I had very strong high school grades.
The whole education consisted of four years, including clinical practice and theoretical studies. However, I had no interest in this field, so I started working full time (six days a week) in a local factory, where I could pay for all my expenses and feel quite good financially, while continuously missing medical college for three years. During my third and fourth years, COVID-19 even helped me avoid expulsion from school.
In general, since my school was in a small rural area, my professors were not very motivated to teach students. Corruption and nepotism were widespread in this college. I didn’t want to disappoint my parents, so I continued studying as best as I could. Sometimes I paid for my exams, and sometimes professors simply gave me a passing grade without any effort on my part. I barely passed the national exam at the end of my education.
Finally, I received a diploma without having any real nursing knowledge, and I never planned to work in this profession because I truly hated it. After finishing this college, I started working in multiple fields, traveled to many places, and learned English from scratch. I also started a career in accounting, working remotely for a U.S. firm. Additionally, I earned an Associate’s degree in accounting (and I am currently working on a Bachelor’s degree Accounting and CIS) from Thomas Edison State University, since this college charges the same rate for international students abroad and accepts various types of credits, such as ACE credits.
I am fascinated by accounting and computer science, and I am also good at programming. I feel that I really want to immigrate to the United States, and the most transparent and fastest pathway for me is the EB-3 nursing visa. It is relatively easy to find an employer, and I already have the education I mentioned above. However, in addition to that, I need at least one year of bedside experience and to pass the NCLEX-RN exam for an agency to accept me.
I thought I was capable of doing that, so I found a job as an OR nurse in my home country. However, I feel overwhelmed by all of this information (yesterday was my first day), and I am starting to hesitate about what I should do with my life. I also started NCLEX preparation, but I realize that I don’t know basic anatomy and biology. My coworkers also think that I am incompetent in this job because I don’t know anything. But will work under constant supervision at least a few month, so I am confident that I will not harm any patient.
Now I am very confused about what I should do next. Should I give a chance to myself or just quit?
RE: Advice is needed/Immigration EB3 Visa - LevelUP - 01-01-2026
I’m not an immigration expert, but it does seem that the EB-3 visa is one of the most reliable ways to immigrate to the U.S. from Europe. From what I understand, you’re generally expected to work in nursing for around 12 months, after which you’re free to pursue other career paths, such as moving into tech (e.g., programming) or a business-related role.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether this path is worth it for your situation.
RE: Advice is needed/Immigration EB3 Visa - bjcheung77 - 01-06-2026
First, work on the requirements you mentioned: However, in addition to that, I need at least one year of bedside experience and to pass the NCLEX-RN exam for an agency to accept me.
Second, decide the pathway best suited for you to continue your educational goals. It can be a pivot from Nursing to something health related, such as a Nursing dept/unit manager or something similar.
Third, decide if where the place you want to go is, and which province, state, etc. Each will have different requirements for non US educated nurses. You want a backup plan just in case...
RE: Advice is needed/Immigration EB3 Visa - davewill - 01-08-2026
I would think being an OR nurse would be one of the more demanding specialties you could have picked. Especially since it doesn't sound like nursing is a true vocation for you.
RE: Advice is needed/Immigration EB3 Visa - ReyMysterioso - 01-14-2026
To be honest, it doesn't seem like a good idea for you or the patients or employers if your only interest in nursing is to enable the visa via healchare just to "get in the door" long enough to pivot into a different career. It seems like a disengenuous use of the visa. You already don't like the job. It would be a miserable experience if you find yourself stuck in it for a year.
Is it not possible to obtain the EB-3 visa in a different field than nursing? The field you actually want to work in? It's not a nursing/healthcare specific visa, so you could theoretically qualify if you could find an employer in a different field.
RE: Advice is needed/Immigration EB3 Visa - Stonybeach - 01-14-2026
I just want to comment on nursing. To say one does not like "nursing" is myopic. I can understand why one may not like medical/surgical nursing but many love it. In the USA, the nursing profession has evolved, and there are over a hundred pathways. It took me a few years to find a pathway because I did not enjoy hospital med/surg nursing.
Five major areas in nursing; the practitioner, administrator/manager, researcher, educator, and marketer. We all know the numerous areas of nursing practice, from the hospital (ICU, OR, ER, Rehab) to outpatient (Peds, IM, urgent care), to corrections nurse, military nurse, advanced nurse practitioner and its fields including CRNA, FNP, Midwifery, Psych NP. In Administration, I have seen CNO and CEO of hospitals not to mention all the midlevel administrators and managers. Clinical research is another field complying with protocols and collecting data. Education is a big deal from hospital education of staff to education of patients, certified diabetes educator and academic educators in university. Marketing has medical device and pharmaceutical sales reps. I can't name all the different number of routes to take with a nursing degree in this short summary but just get some exposure and your nursing degree coupled with an accounting or business degree can pay dividends and may even be enjoyable.
RE: Advice is needed/Immigration EB3 Visa - Jonathan Whatley - 01-14-2026
There are many roles that are practicing nursing but far from an OR. Nurse informatics, public health, occupational health, telehealth, nurse educator…
Edit: Great minds think alike! Stonybeach posted the same basic idea much better expanded at the same time.
RE: Advice is needed/Immigration EB3 Visa - Stonybeach - 01-14-2026
(01-14-2026, 11:46 AM)Jonathan Whatley Wrote: There are many roles that are practicing nursing but far from an OR. Nurse informatics, public health, occupational health, telehealth, nurse educator…Thanks!
Edit: Great minds think alike! Stonybeach posted the same basic idea much better expanded at the same time.