Filipinos are still the most persistent job-seekers in the nursing industry in the United States, a lawmaker said.
ACTS-OFW Rep. Aniceto “John” Bertiz revealed that 7,791 Filipino nurses took the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for the first time in 2017, as reported by Inquirer.
This figure is 23 per cent higher than the 6,322 nurses who took the exam for the first time in 2016.
Citing statistics from the U.S. National Council of State Boards of Nursing Inc. (NCSBN), Bertiz said that among the foreign-educated nurses who took the exam, 1,305 are Indians. Meanwhile, a total of 820 Puerto Ricans, 749 South Koreans and 586 Jamaicans also took the licensure examination.
Bertiz explained that many Filipino nurses take the NCLEX in hopes of practicing their profession in the US to earn better benefits and compensation.
“Without question, among foreign-educated nurses, Filipinos remain the most persistent job hunters in America,” Bertiz said.
“Compared to other countries, many Filipino nurses still prefer the U.S. because, apart from the superior hourly pay, they also find it easier to work and live there, considering our cultural affinity with America,” Bertiz added.
In 2017, median pay of nurses in the US reached $70,000 per year, or $33.65 every hour, as per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The BLS explained that many nurses hope to work in the US as demand continues to rise in a bid to replace the high number of nurses that will retire in the coming decade.
“However, the supply of new nurses entering the labor market has increased in recent years. This increase has resulted in competition for jobs in some areas of the country. Employers also may prefer candidates who have some related work experience or certification in a specialty area,” the BLS said.
