Filipino nurses in the US: licensing, NCLEX and BLS wage

Choose a state before choosing an exam plan

US registered nurses need a licence from the state in which they work. Other licensing requirements vary by state, and each state’s board of nursing provides the specific requirements. Ask that board how it evaluates your Philippine training and documents before buying a credential or recruitment package.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook: registered nurses

Use current NCLEX materials

NCSBN’s NCLEX preparation page links the 2026 Candidate Bulletin, which it describes as the start-to-finish NCLEX guide with contact information, how to register and the NCLEX candidate rules. It also links the test plans, which NCSBN says contain information on exam content, exam administration and item-writing tips. Use those materials for registration and exam arrangements. This page gives no Philippine-specific pass rate, question count or exam-centre list.

NCSBN — NCLEX: Prepare (2026 Candidate Bulletin and test plans)

Keep immigration certification separate

8 CFR 212.15 says that a person seeking admission to the United States, as an immigrant or as a nonimmigrant, for the primary purpose of performing labor in a listed health care occupation is inadmissible unless they present a certificate from a credentialing organization. The list of occupations includes Registered Nurses. For nurses, the regulation also describes an alternative: a nurse may present a certified statement under paragraph (h) in the cases the regulation allows. The regulation lists people it does not apply to, so check the provision for your own category. A certificate under this section is not professional authorization to practice that occupation, and it is separate from the state licence. Passing an examination does not itself grant a visa, a job or permission to practise. This page does not explain visa categories, petitions or processing times; use the immigration authority’s own pages for your category.

eCFR — 8 CFR 212.15 Certificates for foreign health care workers

Use the salary figure correctly

BLS reports a US registered-nurse median annual wage of USD 97,550 for May 2025. This is a national occupational observation, not a 2026 starting offer or a salary promised to Filipino nurses. Ask your employer for base pay, paid hours, overtime rules, deductions and location-specific living costs.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook: registered nurses

Check an employment package before signing

Obtain the state, facility, job title, shift pattern, pay basis, licence conditions and immigration process in writing. Ask who pays examination, certification, travel and relocation costs. Read repayment clauses and what happens if licensing or immigration is delayed. This review does not validate a recruitment agency, guarantee a visa date or provide a net-savings estimate.