Non-resident Future?

[IvanD]

Hey all,

I realized I posted in the wrong section of the forum and if any moderators find it could you guys please help me delete it?

I'm an international student (still currently in college) and I'm quite interested in the EMS field right now, and I was wondering if I'm on a student visa/not a resident, will I have opportunities in this field in the future? Will EMS companies hire anyone who's not a resident? Or will it be more difficult for me to be in this field?

Thanks!

 

[Tommerag]

I'm not sure on this, but I'm guessing you would probably need a work visa as well. Trying searching google and see what you come up with

 

[MrBrown]

No. Paramedic is unskilled third preference for an E3 visa and also requires labour certification which says there are no US citizen/LPR who are able to fill the vacancies.

One British Paramedic Brown knows spent GBP20,000 on flights and lawyers and interviews in Seattle and got nowhere because they could not get labour certification for him.

You are better off looking at Australia or New Zealand which as a points-based immigration system and Paramedic/Intensive Care Paramedic is on the list. NB however that we have substantially greater education requirements than is the norm in the US.

 

[IvanD]

I know this is sort of off topic, but what's the paramedic system like in Australia? I have been trying to research the steps to become a paramedic with no luck. --> assuming you begin training at entry level

 

[MrBrown]

I know this is sort of off topic, but what's the paramedic system like in Australia? I have been trying to research the steps to become a paramedic with no luck.

In Australia its a state run affair, except in the NT and WA where St John are contracted to provide service - read: do not go to those states.

Paramedic is a Bachelors Degree qualification and is 90% what the US would consider a "Paramedic" (ALS person) e.g. intravenous drugs, 12 lead interpretation, cardioversion etc.

Intensive Care Paramedic is Paramedic + a Post Graduate certificate and is the second tier responder for sick people, no like really sick people. They have RSI, combination analgesia, thrombolysis etc.

Competition is intense as the Degree model creates a pool of applicants which allows the Ambulance Service to be very selective.

It's almost the same here in NZ now.

 

[IvanD]

Thanks! Do you know if it's possible to attend such a program if one already has an undergraduate degree?

Also, how competitive are we talking about? Will being a non-resident put me at a disadvantage position?

Thanks so much!