2026 Guide for Canadian & Mexican Nurses and Medical Lab Professionals
If you’re a Canadian or Mexican Registered Nurse (RN) or a Medical Laboratory Technologist / Clinical Laboratory Scientist (MLT/MLS) planning to work in the U.S., you will need a Health Care Worker Certification.
This is the part that:
- Impacts your visa approval
- Impacts your state licence
- Can slow you down if you pick the wrong option
The 2 things you actually need
- Health Care Worker Certification for immigration
- Credential Evaluation Report for state licensure
Think of it like this;
- Health Care Worker Certification = border approval
- Credential evaluation = permission to work
The big takeaway
- All three companies are approved for Registered Nurses (RNs)
- TruMerit and Josef Silny support Medical Lab Technologists/Scientists
- IEE is nursing-focused
- Border officials accept all three certificates for RNs when issued correctly
| Comparison Point | TruMerit VisaScreen | Josef Silny Visa4Nurses | IEE GlobalBridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Canadian & Mexican RNs + Medical Lab Technologists/Scientists | Canadian & Mexican RNs + Medical Lab Technologists/Scientists | Canadian & Mexican RNs |
| USCIS Approved (RNs) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USCIS Approved (MLT/MLS) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Visa Certificate | VisaScreen® | Visa4Nurses | GlobalBridge™ |
| Visa Certificate Cost | $740 USD | $600 USD ($500 if prior eval) | $695 USD; about $515 USD with IntelliStaff discount |
| Credential Evaluation Report | CES Professional Report $485 USD |
Nursing Evaluation $365 to $425 USD |
Nursing Licensure Report $395 USD |
| Renewal Fee (Visa) | $475 USD | $400 USD | No info yet |
| Processing Time (after docs received) | About 3.5 business days; document collection can take about 14 weeks | About 10 business days; rush available | About 10 business days |
| Document Storage | 5 years + extension option | Not clearly published | 5 years |
| Digital Certificate | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Online Experience | Moderate | More manual | Fully online |
| State Boards Accepting Evaluation | Widely accepted nationwide | Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming
MLT:American Medical Technologists, American Societyof Clinical Pathologists, Health Care Financing Administration, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia |
Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming |
| Medical Lab Professionals | Yes | Yes | No |
Canadian & Mexican Nurses; what matters most
- All three options work for TN visa nurses
- Border officers care about valid USCIS approved Health Care Worker Certification
- Your state licence drives your evaluation choice
Pro tip; pick your state first, then your provider.
Medical Lab Technologists / Scientists
If you are a Medical Lab professional:
- TruMerit = safest, most universal option
- Josef Silny = viable option depending on certification body/state
- IEE is not designed for lab professionals
Costs
- Total typical cost: $1,000–$1,200 USD
- CAD: ~$1,350–$1,600
- MXN: ~$17,000–$20,000
Final Recommendation
Choose TruMerit if:
- You want flexibility for lab or nursing
- You want the most universally accepted option
Choose Josef Silny if:
- You want flexibility for lab or nursing
- Your state or certification body accepts it
Choose IEE if:
- You are an RN
- You want a faster, fully online process
- You want the IntelliStaff discount
Final Tip
Before choosing anything:
- Confirm your state board requirements
- Then choose the lowest-cost option that meets those rules
Because paying twice is a terrible financial strategy.
