Los Angeles, 2 August 2022. OET, the leading global English language designed specifically for nurses and other healthcare professionals, has been officially recognised by CGFNS International for immigration to the USA.
The announcement means that beginning 1 August 2022, Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Medical and Clinical Scientists, Technicians, and Technologists, Physician Assistants, Audiologists and Speech Pathologists from around the world can now use their OET results in their application for the CGFNS VisaScreen® Certificate, an important step on their journey to migrating to the USA.
OET is sufficient proof of English proficiency to apply for licensure and immigration in 18 States and territories, and is directly listed as approved by Florida, Oregon, Washington, and Michigan. OET is working with other State Nursing Boards to ensure nurses and other healthcare professions will soon be able to use their results for licensure throughout the USA.
OET will play a key role ensuring that USA-based healthcare employers can rely on internationally trained nurses and other healthcare professionals with the healthcare specific English skills required to deliver safe and effective patient care.
An OET Grade C+ or higher in Reading, Writing and Listening, and a Grade B or higher in Speaking will be required by Registered Nurses to show the level of English language proficiency needed for their immigration application.
Sujata Stead, CEO of OET said: ‘The USA is a key destination for nurses, offering life changing employment opportunities at some of the best healthcare providers in the world. Our vision is to connect the world to better healthcare and recognition in the USA allows internationally trained nurses to connect with USA-based healthcare providers. We are rapidly increasing the OET footprint in the USA, expanding our recognitions with state boards while increasing our network of test delivery venues in key source countries for USA-bound nurses such as the Philippines.’
Franklin A. Shaffer EdD, RN, FAAN, FFNMRCSI, President & CEO, CGFNS International, Inc said: ‘We are pleased that an occupational language test is now among the options for migrating health professionals to choose and encourage test takers to review all options carefully before selecting. We are glad that OET has met the federal government requirements for occupational visas and CGFNS stands ready to serve candidates selecting the OET.’
Gary Neale, Vice President of OET USA said: ‘A combination of factors is driving demand for skilled, experienced internationally trained nurses to immigrate to the US as one part of the solution to healthcare workforce shortages. OET helps to ensure that nurses will have the relevant healthcare specific communication skills required to practice safely and effectively and achieve their dreams of living and working in the US.’
About CGFNS International
CGFNS International is an immigration neutral, non-profit, mission-driven organization that helps foreign educated healthcare professionals live and work in their country of choice by assessing and validating their academic and professional credentials. CGFNS is the only organization approved by the United States Department of Homeland Security to validate the credentials of seven foreign healthcare professions for occupational visas. CGFNS International also verifies OET results on behalf of the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
About OET
OET is an English language test that has been designed to assess candidates’ ability to communicate effectively in the healthcare workplace and to ensure they can deliver high quality and safe care in English-speaking healthcare environments.
The test has been developed specifically for 12 different healthcare professions and test tasks replicate real communication scenarios from the workplace. Healthcare regulators, governments and education institutions throughout the world rely on OET to help them select healthcare professionals who can provide high quality and safe patient care.
