Best Countries to Immigrate To as a Nurse in 2026

There is no single best country, because the right one depends on your English (or German) level, your willingness to sit a licensing exam, and whether you want permanent residency up front or a work visa first. As of 2026, the destinations most commonly cited for foreign-trained nurses are:

• Canada: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) runs category-based Express Entry draws for healthcare and social services occupations, which have invited nurses at lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-offs than general draws in recent rounds. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) also target nurses heavily.
• Australia: The Department of Home Affairs runs a points-tested General Skilled Migration system. States frequently nominate nurses quickly under subclass 190, and nursing has been a persistently in-demand occupation.
• United Kingdom: The Health and Care Worker visa is a dedicated, comparatively lower-cost sponsored route, but it requires a job offer from an approved sponsor and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration.
• Germany: Non-EU nurses can move once their qualification is recognized, often via a shortage-occupation route, though German language ability is usually decisive.
• United States: Registered nurses can use the employment-based EB-3 Schedule A path, which skips the usual labor certification, but visa backlogs can make it slow.

Each of these gates on nursing registration in that country, so the "best" one is usually whichever licensing process you can actually complete.

Often yes, which is a large part of why Canada is so frequently recommended for nurses. Canada's Express Entry system is points-based, and IRCC has repeatedly held category-based draws aimed at healthcare and social services occupations, a category that as of 2026 spans roughly three dozen roles including several nursing occupations.

• Express Entry (healthcare category draws): Candidates are ranked by CRS score, and healthcare-targeted rounds have often invited applicants at cut-offs below the general-draw level, though the exact cutoff moves every round. You generally need qualifying skilled work experience, language test results, and an educational credential assessment. No job offer is strictly required to be invited, though one can raise your score.
• Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): Provinces nominate candidates who fit local labour needs, and nursing is a common target. A provincial nomination typically adds a large CRS boost that can move a mid-range profile into invitation range.

To actually practise, you must register with the nursing regulator in your intended province or territory, which usually assesses your education and may require an exam or bridging. Immigration eligibility and the licence to work are two separate steps. As of 2026, confirm current category-draw criteria and CRS cut-offs with IRCC, and licensing requirements with the relevant provincial nursing regulator, before relying on any figure.

The UK and Australia are both strong options for nurses, but they work very differently: one is employer-sponsored, the other is points-tested.

• United Kingdom (Health and Care Worker visa): This is a dedicated route within the Skilled Worker system, generally offering lower fees and an exemption from the immigration health surcharge for eligible health roles. You typically need a job offer in an eligible occupation from an approved sponsor, a certificate of sponsorship, salary at or above the applicable threshold or going rate, and English at the required level. Crucially, you must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which usually involves a computer-based test (CBT) and a clinical exam (OSCE). Some pre-registration nurses may be given a limited window to complete NMC registration after starting.
• Australia (subclass 189 and 190): These are points-tested permanent visas. Subclass 189 needs no sponsor; subclass 190 requires state or territory nomination, which adds points and, for nurses, has often been issued relatively quickly because states prioritize healthcare. You need a skills assessment, English evidence, and registration or eligibility with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia through AHPRA.

As of 2026, confirm current salary thresholds, points requirements, and registration steps with UK Visas and Immigration, the Department of Home Affairs, and the relevant nursing regulator, since these change regularly.

Both the US and Germany actively need nurses, but each has a distinct gate that catches many applicants off guard.

• United States (EB-3 Schedule A): Registered nurses are one of the few groups on Schedule A, which lets an employer skip the lengthy PERM labor certification. That makes the route more streamlined than most US employment green cards. However, you generally must obtain a VisaScreen certificate from CGFNS, which verifies that your education meets US standards, that you have passed the NCLEX-RN (or an accepted equivalent), and that you meet English requirements. Even with Schedule A, per-country visa backlogs can extend timelines, sometimes reported in the range of 18 to 36 months as of 2026. USCIS is the governing body.
• Germany: Germany faces a well-documented nursing shortage, and non-EU nurses can move once their foreign qualification is formally recognized (Anerkennung) as equivalent, which may require an adaptation period or exam. The larger practical hurdle is usually German language ability, commonly cited around a B1 to B2 level for registration, because nursing is patient-facing. The Federal Employment Agency and the relevant recognition authority govern the process.

In short, the US route is streamlined on paper but can be slow due to backlogs, while Germany is accessible if you can clear recognition and the language bar. Confirm current requirements with USCIS, CGFNS, and the German authorities before relying on any timeline.

This is the step that most surprises nurses, and skipping it is the most common avoidable mistake. Unlike many skilled workers, such as software engineers, a nurse generally cannot simply arrive and work: you must be registered or licensed by the destination's nursing regulator, and that process is often separate from, and slower than, the visa itself.

• United Kingdom: Register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), typically via a CBT and OSCE.
• Australia: Register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia through AHPRA, alongside an ANMAC skills assessment for migration.
• Canada: Register with the nursing regulator in your intended province or territory, which assesses education and may require an exam or bridging program.
• United States: Pass the NCLEX-RN, meet state board licensing rules, and obtain a VisaScreen certificate for the visa stage.
• Germany: Obtain formal recognition (Anerkennung) of your qualification, usually with a German-language requirement.

Because registration often drives the timeline, many nurses start it before or in parallel with the immigration application. As of 2026, confirm the current exam, language, and document requirements directly with each regulator, because they update criteria and processing times frequently.

The honest answer is that the country you are drawn to may not be the one where you can move most realistically, and nurses lose the most time by fixating on a single destination before checking the gates.

• If you want permanent residency up front and no employer: Canada (Express Entry healthcare draws, PNPs) and Australia (subclass 189 or state-nominated 190) are the most commonly cited, because they can grant PR directly and often move quickly for nurses.
• If you want a faster start with a job lined up: The UK Health and Care Worker visa can be efficient once you have an NMC PIN and a sponsor, though it depends on an employer.
• If you already speak German: Germany becomes very accessible, because the shortage is real and recognition is the main hurdle.
• If the US is your goal: EB-3 Schedule A is a genuine route, but plan for the NCLEX, VisaScreen, and potential backlog waits.

The practical move is not to pick a favorite and hope, but to compare your real profile, your language scores, your willingness to sit each exam, and your timeline, against two or three of these routes at once. As of 2026, confirm every specific with the official immigration and nursing authorities before committing time or money.