Maryland health care licenses may be required regardless of immigration status – Telemundo Washington DC (44)

A new law in Maryland allows residents to obtain licenses or certifications to work in health care, regardless of their immigration status.

Leslie Lopez, a delegate from Maryland, explained that there are two groups that would benefit from the law.

“One is the Dreamers, or those people who might qualify for the Maryland DREAM law, who don’t have a Social Security number yet. There are also many people who have arrived from other countries who are graduate students in health-related jobs and can now get their license here.”

“This means primarily an opportunity for the professionals who are here, who study in our country wholeheartedly, and who at some point had to leave our country and come to this wonderful country,” said Erika Montes, who will seek to become licensed as a nurse. “The opportunity opens up for us to be able to serve what we were born to do in a day, what we were prepared for, and of course, so that there is better health care for the people of Maryland.”

Montes is a graduate nurse in Colombia. Now, after seven years of living in the United States, he feels that he is close to achieving his professional dream.

“I am very happy to return to health services, to be able to walk with strong steps to the hospital to care for and serve people, and to continue the education I received in my country,” Montes said.

Like her, people who want to obtain their license as health workers must:

• Verify the validity of your certificate, diploma and professional card
• Pass a criminal history review
• Provide proof of address
• Take an English language test, such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
• Fill out a form at the Maryland State Board of Nursing.

“I need to submit an English proficiency certificate, which is the TOEFL test, and when I get it, when will the result be [la nota] I need to take the NCLEX now, It is a nursing exam, and once I pass it, I can register for it [la junta] Montes of Maryland explained in Baltimore.

Once licensed or certified, candidates must contact hospitals or medical offices to apply for job opportunities.

“There are hospitals that are actively recruiting healthcare workers from other countries. My advice is for people who do not have an established immigration status to apply to get their license certificate,” Del Lopez added.

For more information and to fill out the form you must go to mbon.maryland.gov.