Where are the Foreign Nurses?

September 9, 2008
By Carl Shusterman

Any topic involving immigration is sure to spark a debate these days – including the topic of foreign-trained
nurses.

Do foreign-trained nurses depress the wages of U.S. nurses? Since the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services reports that less than four percent of all nurses in the U.S. are foreign trained, it is hard to imagine their
presence would have much effect on wages one way or another. Indeed, annual RN wages climbed 14% from
2000 to 2004, from an average of $46,782 to $57,755 according to HHS, and most indicators suggest that wages
have continued to rise since then. READ MORE >