Nowadays, using a recruiting agency to get a job is commonplace, but not any recruitment firm will do. Whether you’re a foreigner living in the USA or not, signing up with a reputable agency boosts your chances of landing the best. The rationale is that recruitment services frequently publicize the finest job openings.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a global staffing shortfall in health systems, particularly for nurses, which has raised demand for nurses. In addition, there is a population increase in the USA but a decline in the number of nurses.
Joining a recruiting agency is the best course of action for a nurse searching for work in the United States; in this article, we discuss the top USA nurse recruitment agencies.
Requirements to be A Nurse in The USA
Foreigner or not, below are the requirements to be a nurse in the USA
- A clean criminal record
- Health declaration
- You must pass the English proficiency test
- The candidate must have a four-year nursing degree from an accredited school
- A 2-year working experience in their home country (for foreigners).
- You must pass NCLEX-RN in the state where the nurse intends to work. Note, NCLEX-RN stands for National Council Licensure Examination and it is a compulsory exam you must take to be licensed as a nurse in the USA.
20 Biggest Recruitment Agencies in The USA for Nurses
The agencies listed below have sufficient expertise and output. These organizations have assisted in the recruitment of numerous nurses throughout the years, both domestically and internationally, and they remain capable of the job today.
1. Guardian Healthcare services
A recruitment agency with over 25 years of experience; they don’t value quality services alone but also good relationships with their clients because they believe it’s a solution to long-term staffing. They are good at detailing and they are trustworthy. Guardian healthcare services find opportunities that suit you and provide training when necessary.
2. ADEX Medical Staffing
ADEX Medical Staffing is all about you as their priority. They deal with candidates as their clients and not employers. This recruitment agency aims at promoting your career and giving you support along the way. However, they charge no fees from you, take care of all legal procedures, help with all your migration processes, and conduct medical assessments.
3. O’Grady Peyton International
For this recruitment agency, it’s been 40 years of positioning nurses in delightful careers. The agency is dignified by connecting the World’s best nurses with America’s finest healthcare organizations. Furthermore, they assist their clients with their licensure exams, visa screenings, and immigration requirements.
4. Alda Professional Placement Services
They are all about quality service to both employer and employee. This recruitment agency helps its applicants get the best jobs in exceptional healthcare organizations. Every applicant’s success is vital to them.
5. Premier Healthcare Professional
As they are fondly called, PHP is one of the biggest recruitment agencies for Nurses in the USA. They specialize in building a family of healthcare professionals by navigating them through exceptional employment opportunities and providing the best benefits packages for them. For them, it’s been 20 years of experience whilst providing more quality and not quantity which can be proven by their numerous industry awards and recognitions.
6. CareerKnacks International Nursing Recruiters
They specialize in the placement and recruitment of international professionals into America’s healthcare facilities.
7. Medliant International Healthcare Staffing
Its purpose of establishment is to act as a portal for providing professional nurses to reduce the healthcare crisis in the USA. Medliant international healthcare staffing helps you secure and get started at your job whilst providing support throughout your career. They provide access to benefits, insurance, sponsorships, and lots more.
8. Wilson Staffing Network
Wilson staffing network is an international and local staff recruitment agency that meets the needs of every applicant and provides solutions to their needs. They work closely with attorneys on every recruit made to ensure quality service.
9. RCM Healthcare Services
For RCM Healthcare Services, it has been 40 years of matching the finest healthcare organizations with dedicated and qualified professional nurses from around the world, they link the needs of their clients with the goals of their applicants.
10. MedPro International
MedPro International is committed to training, recruiting, and positioning healthcare professionals while assisting them in achieving their career dreams.
11. PPR Travel Nursing
This recruiting agency is basically for travel nurses. They create the best working experience for nurses in the travel nurse industry. PPR Travel Nursing has 24-hour customer service
12. Worldwide Healthstaff Associates
Worldwide Healthstaff Associates bring solutions to applicants to make the process simple and stress-free.
13. Associated Services for Migration, Citizenship, and Immigration (ASCMI)
Being owned by a renowned lawyer Zen Fernandez, it is their mission to successfully achieve the immigration goals of their internationally recruited nurses at the least cost.
14. International Medlink
International Medlink is specialized in offering services to international healthcare facilities by recruiting, training, and placing international registered nurses.
15. Global Nursing Recruiters
Global Nursing Recruitment specializes in training African and Caribbean nurses to be qualified to work in the United States. They equip nurses with the required knowledge and skills to provide quality nursing services to the United States.
16. Cross Country Nurses
This is a recruitment agency for Travel Nurses. They provide support and exclusive benefits to their applicants.
17. Healthstar International
Healthstar International understands the needs of it’s client as they strive to find the best international professionals that meet the demands of their clients.
18. Global Healthcare Resources
They effectively handle the recruitment and placement of qualified healthcare staff (international and local).
19. Stateside Nursing International
Stateside Nursing International offers assistance to international registered nurses looking to migrate to the United States.
20. Comprehensive Medical Staffing
Comprehensive Medical Staffing is one of the biggest USA recruitment agencies for nurses and they aim at providing USA healthcare facilities with the best registered nurses (foreigner and local) to ensure quality patient care.
The Best Travel Nursing Agency
We compiled information from Indeed and Glassdoor to identify the best travel nursing agencies for 2023 and 2024, despite the deluge of options. The best part is that genuine travel nurses who have collaborated with these businesses have left ratings on these websites.
Read Also: Work as a Nurse in The USA
In order to assist you in locating businesses that offer the most advantages, assistance, and other features, we’ll also begin by making some recommendations based on our study. You’ll have a solid understanding of what each business has to offer by the end, enabling you to select the best travel nursing agency for your professional objectives.
Here are some agencies to look out for:
Axis Medical Staffing is the best travel nursing agency based on ratings from travel nurses on Indeed and Glassdoor. However, always remember that while one agency may be a perfect fit for one travel nurse, it may be a different story for someone else. For example, while one travel nurse may value a close relationship with their recruiter, another might be more concerned with salary or benefits.
Host Healthcare is the best travel nursing agency for those looking for robust support from recruiters. As soon as you start working with this company, you’ll have access to 24/7 support. So, anytime you have a question or concern, you can call, text, or DM to get a quick answer. This makes it a great option for those who are new to travel nursing and might need a little extra guidance.
Of course, whether you’re a new travel nurse or a seasoned pro, there will always be times when you need to get in touch with your agency quickly. Additionally, Host gives you access to jobs in all 50 states. All you need to do is select your desired contract location, and the company will help you find placements.
If you’re looking for a travel nurse agency with great benefits, you should check out RNNetwork. The company offers Day One benefits, meaning you’ll have access to them on the first day of your contract.
They offer a host of benefits including:
- Zero-Premium Health Insurance: Fully paid by RNnetwork, with dependant and life partner coverage.
- Prescription Pay: No-deductible for medications.
- Dental Plan: 100% coverage for preventive services and children’s orthodontic coverage.
- Vision Benefits: Coverage for lenses, glasses, frames, and exams nationwide.
- Continuing Education: Access to free, unlimited courses and licensure assistance.
- Credentialing Assistance: Full support and substantial cost coverage for licensing and certifications.
- Employee Assistance Program: Access to expert advice for financial, mental, behavioral, and legal issues.
- Life and AD&D Insurance: $50,000 coverage without requiring enrollment in a medical plan.
- Teladoc: 24/7 physician consultation services over the phone.
- Sanvello: Free access to a mindfulness app for stress, anxiety, and depression relief.
- Talkspace: 24/7 access to licensed therapists online.
The largest travel nursing agency is AMN Healthcare. In fact, they owned nearly 20% of the entire market share of the industry according to a report from a few years ago. Working with the largest agency comes with a number of advantages, like the number and diversity of available job opportunities. Additionally, you’ll receive robust support and comprehensive benefits, like free housing, 401(k), and life insurance.
Given that AMN is such a big company that’s been around since 1985, you also know they have an established reputation. The company even has exclusive deals with healthcare facilities, giving you access to even more jobs. Overall, AMN healthcare is an option for those looking for a large travel nursing agency with access to lots of resources.
The top travel nursing companies are listed here, according to Indeed and Glassdoor reviews. When there wasn’t enough information available on these websites, we used Facebook reviews instead.
1. Axis Medical Staffing
Axis Medical Staffing earned the title of best travel nursing agency for 2023 based on our aggregated data from ratings by travel nurses. This agency was founded in 2004 and boasts lots of benefits, including:
- Assignment opportunities in every state
- A “personal touch” unrivaled by other agencies
- A nice payment structure
Though it’s a highly-rated company and travelers are eligible for healthcare benefits the first of the month following their date of hire but it is something to be aware of as there is a month wait. If this is key in your decision, there are other options that offer day-one benefits.
However, if you’re in it for the adventure, this is a great agency to work with.
2. Host Healthcare
We mentioned earlier that Host Healthcare is one of the best travel nursing agencies when it comes to support. You can contact them with questions 24/7, and their recruiters will try to find your ideal placement.
However, Host offers a number of other great benefits too. For example, the company provides access to thousands of exclusive contract positions all across the country. Some other amazing benefits they provide include:
- Day one medical coverage that lasts up to 30 days between assignments
- 401(k) matching
- Travel reimbursements
- A dedicated housing support team
Overall, because Host Healthcare offers such comprehensive support, it’s a great option for those who are new to travel nursing. However, experienced travel nurses can also benefit from working with them.
3. Triage Staffing
Triage Staffing operates by the motto of “real and ready.” There are tons of great reviews from their employees, and they emphasize clear and open communication. If you’re looking to build long-term relationships and communicate with your recruiter regularly, this may be a perfect option.
Just keep in mind that they do promote a more fun and casual culture, which may not be suitable for everyone. Also, you’ll need two years of experience if you want to work with them. However, if you don’t have the experience yet, they still encourage you to get in touch and build a relationship while you gain that experience.
4. Fusion Medical Staffing
Fusion Medical Staffing is the next company on our list of best travel nursing agencies. It began as a small business in 2009, but since then has grown rapidly. They’ve even won awards for being one of the fastest-growing companies and having an excellent workplace culture.
Some of the reasons to choose Fusion include:
- They accept new graduates and provide a mentorship program
- An emphasis on social responsibility and volunteering
- An inclusive culture; for example, participating in LGBTQ+ pride events, disability fundraisers, and more
While the company does hire new graduates, the information on their website isn’t all that thorough. This can be a little scary for new travel nurses, so make sure you ask the right questions so you can decide if Fusion meets all of your needs.
5. Travel Nurses Inc.
Travel Nurses Inc. has been in business for over 30 years and features 24/7 clinical support. They also won the ClearlyRated Best of Staffing in both 2021 and 2022. The agency has a robust job board, and even features a “Furnished Finder” tool that allows you to book housing options right on their website.
They provide day-one healthcare coverage and make contract transparency a priority. Your recruiter will schedule a review of your contract before you begin an assignment, ensuring all your needs are met.
While the ratings for this company on Indeed and Glassdoor are a bit sparse, this agency has lots of glowing reviews on Facebook and Google that are worth checking out. The only thing to keep in mind is that you will need one year of experience to work TNI.
There is no single travel nursing agency that pays the most. In fact, all the agencies on this list provide competitive rates. If you’re looking to make as much money as possible from your contract, you should focus on factors like location and the type of contract.
For example, travel nurses have a much higher earning potential in states like California or New York compared to states like Arkansas or Kentucky. Just keep in mind that the cost of living is also greater in the former states than the latter.
Additionally, a more specialized nursing role will typically pay more than a general RN role. So, if you want to make more money, consider earning certifications or getting an advanced degree.
Whichever agency you choose, travel nursing salaries are much higher than resident registered nursing salaries. The average annual salary for a travel nurse is $106,030 per year, compared to resident RN salaries at $82,750 per year.
