NCLEX Exam for Nurses: A Key Step for Immigration

The NCLEX- National Council Licensure Examination is an apex examination conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), used to assess the competency of Nurses.

NCLEX examination is a standardised exam used to assess the competency of nursing school graduates for licensure as registered nurses (RNs) and Vocational/ Practical nurses (PNs). This exam is commonly used by healthcare professionals, especially nurses who want to migrate overseas and settle there as immigrants. This exam is crucial for nursing graduates who want to work as nurses in the U.S.A., Canada and Australia. This exam is a direct route for Canada PP, Australia PR and USA citizenship

 NCLEX aims to evaluate applicants of their knowledge, skills, and abilities required for nursing at entry level. This exam provides an opportunity for nursing graduates to showcase their talent and become immigrants.

 Types of NCLEX Exam

The NCLEX exam is conducted for two types:

1.  NCLEX – RN

NCLEX – RN or NCLEX exam for registered nurses is a competency exam applicable for applicants who have completed Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) and now want to work as a registered nurse in Canada, the U.S.A, and Australia.

 2.  NCLEX– PN

NCLEX– PN or NCLEX exam for Practical/ Vocational nurses is an exam applicable for graduates who have completed a practical/vocational nursing program or diploma and now want to work as a practical/vocational nurse in Canada, the U.S.A, and Australia.

 Know the Difference

NCLEX – RN and NCLEX– PN both are evaluating exams for nursing graduates who are being considered to work as nurses at entry level. Though, both are aligned with similar settings but differ in some cases. NCLEX– RN (registered nurse) will assess patients and situations while NCLEX– PN (practical/ vocational nurse) will collect data in various forms such as number of patients, number of patients died in a day or week, number and scheduling of surgeries.

 NCLEX – The Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the NCLEX exam, applicants must meet several eligibility criteria which are as follows:
❖  Educational Qualifications

The foremost requirement for this exam is educational qualification documents as the applicant must have an associate degree in nursing (ADN), bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) or a diploma in nursing. 

 ❖  Age

Though there is no age limit for the NCLEX exam, if the applicants fulfill the other credentials they can take the test regardless of their age.

❖  English Language Proficiency

Usually the nursing education is being completed in English but in some cases it is done in some other language. In that case when the applicant has completed education other than in English, then the applicant must take the language proficiency test such as IELTS or TOEFL.

 ❖  Application to Nursing Regulatory Body (NRB)

Applicants are made to submit an application to the Nursing Regulatory Body stating their educational qualifications documents, identity verification, and some other related documents. This application is a validation of documents required for further use.

 ❖  Authorization to Test (ATT)

Authorisation to Test is a document that is received by the NRB as a positive response from their side that applicants are eligible for the NCLEX exam.

 How to Apply for the NCLEX Exam

The NCLEX exam is conducted in a structured manner, follows a process as:

 1.  Application to Nursing Regulatory Body (NRB)

The initial step in this process is to submit an application to the NRB. For this process, the applicants are bound to submit their application to NRBs in the country they want to migrate and wish for a nursing license. This process requires the applicant's educational qualification documents, identification verification documents and English language proficiency score report (if applicable).

 2.  Register with Pearson VUE

After submitting an application on NRB, applicants are supposed to register with Pearson VUE and pay the exam fee.

Pearson VUE is a computer-testing support system provided to individuals for taking certificates and licensure for exams required for further use.

 3.  Authorization to Test

Once the applicant has submitted the exam fee, applicants receive Authorization to Test (ATT) certificate from NRB, stating a positive response from authorities.

ATT is a document that signifies the Nursing Regulatory Body (NRB) has declared a candidate eligible to take the NCLEX exam and allows them to schedule their exam with Pearson VUE. The ATT document is valid for 90 days, as within this period, applicants have to respond and schedule the exam.

 4.  Schedule Exam Appointment

After receiving positive responses from authorities, applicants can schedule their exam appointment, stating choice of date and time for the exam. With this the applicant will receive a confirmation mail for the exam including the exam centre.

 5.  Exam and Result

Take the scheduled exam at the centre of your choice. Take along the ATT certificate with all the necessary documents such as identification proof which includes photo and signature. Await for the results which is usually 5 - 6 weeks.

 NCLEX Exam Format

The NCLEX exam is conducted via online computer testing mechanism CAT (Computer Adaptive Test). NCLEX follows a unique pattern as the exam format proceeds with the candidate’s knowledge. It follows on the basis of previous questions answered but the applicant cannot review or move to previous questions for reviewing.

The exam duration is 5 hours and can have 85 to 150 questions depending upon candidates.

The exam follows questions types such as multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank calculations, ordered response, and hot spots (image-based).

 The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN)

Launched in 2023, this program is an updated version of nursing assessing exam that evaluates nurse’s clinical judgement and decision making abilities through the use of innovative item types. It uses the real world cases for nurses in order to receive critical judgement and right decisions. This program was launched in order to take quick and right decisions at critical and challenging situations.

 NCLEX Exam Fees

NCLEX exam holds a fee structure as follows:  

NCLEX, a nursing evaluating exam for nursing graduates who wish to migrate overseas, contemplates this as a golden opportunity to obtain license and practice legally in the U.S.A, Canada and Australia.