International RN heading to the US
Hello fellow nurses, I’m a 23 male registered nurse currently working on making the move over to the US, and honestly, the sheer number of staffing agencies out there is making my head spin. I’d love to get some real, unfiltered advice from fellow nurses who have actually been through the process or worked with them.
What are the actual pros and cons of going through a staffing agency versus trying to do direct hire?
I’ve stumbled across a few big names so far:
- O'Grady Peyton (AMN)
- Avant Healthcare Professionals
- MedPro International
- HealthCarousel
If you’ve worked with any of these, please give me the good, the bad, and the ugly. Who actually supports you throughout the transition, and who just ghosts you the second you land?
Also, how does the money situation work with these guys? I know they take a cut of the paycheck, but is that cut pretty much a standard rate across the board, or does it depend on how much upfront help they give you (like licensing, flights, housing, etc.) before arriving in the US?
Ultimately, I’m trying to figure out which agency offers the absolute best support system while still offering the lowest salary cut / best overall compensation package.
Any insights, warnings, or recommendations for other agencies I might have missed would be an absolute lifesaver. Thanks in advance!