SA Nurse in the US Reveals How Much Immigrant Nurses Earn Working in the US
- A South African nurse based in the United States broke down the salary range Avant offers immigrant nurses in a follow-up video
- She explained that hourly rates vary depending on the state, hospital, speciality, and shift a nurse is assigned to
- Her breakdown of bonuses and contract lengths sparked strong reactions from South Africans doing the maths on rand conversions
Source: Getty Images
A South African nurse living and working in the United States shared a detailed breakdown of what immigrant nurses earn through the agency Avant, after her first video on the topic left many viewers with unanswered questions.
What avant pays immigrant nurses
The nurse confirmed that Avant offers immigrant nurses between $35 and $45 per hour, with the exact rate depending on factors like the state, hospital, speciality, and whether the nurse works day or night shifts. She added that at her hospital in Maine, nurses working in the operating room earn at least $40 per hour.
Xolisile Gaxa was clear that nurses signing with Avant initially receive a contract showing $32 per hour, but that is only a starting figure set before placement is confirmed. Her own earnings are already above that initial rate, she said.
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Hourly pay also increases over time. After completing 2,080 hours (one year), the rate goes up by $1. The same increase applies after 4,160 hours, then again after 5,200 hours, and finally after 6,240 hours, which is the three-year mark.
Bonuses and contract lengths
Avant also pays bonuses at key milestones. Nurses who complete two years (4,180 hours) receive a $2,000 bonus before tax. Two more $2,000 bonuses follow at the two-and-a-half-year and three-year marks, respectively.
Contract lengths differ based on individual circumstances. Nurses who had their NCLEX sponsored by Avant, as she did, sign a three-year contract. Those who arrived with a completed NCLEX work a two-and-a-half-year contract instead.
Additional sign-on bonuses exist for nurses who have completed their CGFNS credentials ($1,500 before tax) and for those who passed the IELTS English exam before joining ($500 before tax, or $300 if completed within the first 120 days). She noted that as a South African who studied in English, she was not required to sit the IELTS at all.
Her closing advice was to look beyond the initial numbers. Once a nurse completes their Avant contract and is hired directly by a hospital, years of experience are factored into the offer, something Avant does not account for during the placement period.
Check out the Facebook reel below:
Mzansi does the maths
South Africans in the comments wasted no time converting the figures:
Nesiwe Biyela wrote:
"40 dollars is R653.08, so if usebenza 8 hrs is R5224.64 per day [working 8 hours is R5224.64 per day]."
Gugu Zwane said:
"Sisi, I am not a nurse, but listening to you explain, it's powerful, and your English is crystal clear. You were supposed to be a lecturer; keep it up and good luck."
D Bongz Bidi asked:
"Hi cc do they take Auxiliary nurse/assistant nurse?"
Francis Mbenga commented:
"35, 45, 40 is equal to 640 rand."
ILo Kwenza Oseyi-Covid wrote:
"Ngingalala nini nginentombi ekhuluma isingisi. (When will I sleep with a girl who speaks English like this)."
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- A South African farmer working abroad in the United States lost two of the people closest to him within the space of less than a year.
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Source: Briefly News
