OET, an English language test for healthcare, has been added to the list of recognized English tests for immigration to the USA. Nurses and members of some other health professions from around the world will soon be able to use their OET results when applying for U.S. visas.
The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has added OET to its list of tests and scores for Foreign Health Care Workers. Following this approval, OET is in the process of being added to CGFNS International’s system for verification.
Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Medical and Clinical Scientists, Technicians, and Technologists, Physician Assistants, Audiologists and Speech Pathologists will soon be able to use their OET results to apply for visas to work and live in the USA.
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: “Nurses are in high demand throughout the world, and the U.S. is among the countries that are looking to increase the size of their workforce.”
“With OET being added to the HRSA approved language list, nurses who want to work in the USA can now choose the leading healthcare-specific English language test.”
“The announcement is a big step for nurses from around the world who want to register and work in the USA.”
Adam Phillips, Global Head of Commercial at OET, said: “It’s a huge win for both healthcare professionals looking to migrate to the USA and the USA’s healthcare system.”
"Qualified foreign-trained healthcare workers play an important role in healthcare systems around the world, providing quality and safe care to patients when they need it.”
OET can be taken at over 300 venues in more than 60 countries around the world. Initially candidates will need to take the OET at a physical location, either on paper or on a computer.
In addition to now being recognized for immigration to the United States, the State Boards of Nursing in Florida, Oregon, Washington, and Michigan also recognize OET for their licensing purposes.
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.
For more information, visit http://www.occupationalenglishtest.org .