Thousands of young nurses from India's Kerala state are pursuing careers in the United States, enduring multi-year immigration backlogs to address a growing healthcare workforce shortage. The dream of better pay and professional growth keeps them committed.
Angel Verghese, 25, a nursing graduate from Welcare College in Kochi, has passed the NCLEX exam and is preparing for the IELTS. Her brother lives in New York. "I've always wanted to work in the US," she said. "It offers better opportunities."
Susan Kurian, 26, from Kottayam, is further along: she is working with a recruitment agency to secure a job offer from a US hospital. "The paperwork is long, but my goal hasn't changed," she told DW.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 189,100 registered nurse openings annually from 2024 to 2034, driven by an aging population and retirements. Hospitals increasingly recruit internationally, with India becoming a key source.
Indian applicants face one of the longest employment-based immigration backlogs. Those starting today may wait over a decade for a visa. Despite this, recruiters in Kerala continue to process applications.
"Kerala nurses are well-trained, speak good English, and are dedicated," said Louie Terence, operations manager at Tiju's Academy. "Many still see the US as the dream destination due to salaries and career opportunities."
Rather than waiting idle, many nurses work in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the UK, or Germany until their US priority date becomes current. "By then, family circumstances may change," noted immigration attorney Rajkrishna S Iyer.
Ancy Philip, who moved to California in 2006, said: "When I came, the process was simpler. Now, immigration backlogs have slowed the flow to a trickle."
India is the second-largest source of immigrant registered nurses in the US after the Philippines, with about 32,000 Indian-born nurses currently working there. In 2024, India produced the second-highest number of NCLEX candidates: 5,869.
The COVID pandemic exacerbated healthcare worker shortages. "Hospitals invest heavily in training, but experienced nurses leave for overseas opportunities," said orthopedic surgeon Dhananjay Gupta.
Source: www.dw.com