LTC Staff / Floor Nurse TN Visa Jobs

Why US skilled nursing facilities are hiring Canadian LTC Floor RN talent

US nurses largely avoid long-term care, leaving facilities desperate for frontline RNs. This is the highest-volume, fastest-onboarding role in the SNF category, and the one we place into most often.

Because the need is so widespread, this is often the fastest-moving role in our entire pipeline for a Canadian RN's first US placement, hospital or SNF.

What the role looks like

• Medication passes across a resident hallway each shift
• Wound checks and basic treatments per care plan
• Care plan documentation and communication with the interdisciplinary team
• Coordinating daily care with Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)

Licensing requirements in the US

Beyond TN status itself, a LTC Floor RN needs an active Registered Nurse license in the US state where you'll work. Canadian licensure doesn't transfer automatically. Most Canadian-trained RNs go through licensure by endorsement, which typically requires a credential evaluation (often through the same CGFNS process as VisaScreen), verification of your Canadian license and education, and a background check. Some states also require the NCLEX-RN exam if your original licensing exam isn't recognized as equivalent.

No specialty certification is required. Facilities look for comfort managing a higher resident-to-nurse ratio than a typical hospital floor.

State licensing timelines vary widely, from a few weeks in faster states to several months in others, so we recommend applying to your target state's board of nursing as soon as you have a specific US location in mind, ideally in parallel with your VisaScreen application rather than after it.

Who's eligible

• Canadian citizenship (TN status under USMCA is only available to Canadian and Mexican citizens)
• A valid, unrestricted Registered Nurse license in your Canadian province
• Open to candidates newer to long-term care, though prior experience helps
• A prearranged, genuine job offer from a US employer for a qualifying RN role
• A completed or in-progress CGFNS or Josef Silny VisaScreen certificate

Realistic timeline

Every candidate's timeline looks a little different, but here's the general shape of it when VisaScreen and state licensing are started early and run in parallel with matching:

1. Month 0-1: Matching

   We learn your background and start matching you with US skilled nursing facilities hiring for LTC Floor RN roles.

2. Month 1-6: VisaScreen & state licensing (parallel)

   VisaScreen typically takes 3-6 months; state RN licensure by endorsement runs on its own timeline, often 6-12 weeks once submitted, so starting both early matters.

3. Once matched: Job offer

   A formal offer triggers the ability to finalize TN sponsorship paperwork.

4. At the border: TN application & entry

   With your job offer letter, VisaScreen certificate, and state license in hand, TN status is generally granted the same day at a US port of entry.

Most candidates who start VisaScreen and licensing early are border-ready in roughly 4-8 months. Waiting until after a job offer to start those two steps is the single most common cause of a longer timeline.

Get your free LTC Floor RN readiness checklist

A one-page, printable checklist covering everything above: eligibility, VisaScreen timing, state licensing, and what to bring to the border. Enter your details and we'll unlock the download.

Who's a good fit

You're comfortable managing a higher resident-to-nurse ratio than a hospital floor, and you find satisfaction in longer-term relationships with the same residents over time.

Average salary expectations, by state

Real, region-level pay data across all 50 states plus DC, for LTC Staff / Floor Nurse. Choose an arrangement and pay unit below, then jump straight to your target state. Each view shows Entry, Mid, and High experience bands separately.

Questions specific to this specialty

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