# NREMT-P jobs



## Helper (Jun 27, 2014)

Hi All,

I recently completed a paramedic course in the USA and became nationally registered. I am not a US citizen but partook in the course because they told us we would get visas to work immediately upon registration....This was either a lie or someone misread the details (after we all had paid the money). 

I am back in my home country and as an inexperienced NREMT-P I am unable to get a job ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!!!!!!! I have been offered jobs in the USA but cannot get a visa.

I am devastated after spending my life savings on this course I am registered but unemployed. 

Can anyone offer any advice? Does anyone know someone who could help? I am really stuck at this stage. I have no money and I really need to start working asap.

:sad::angry:


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## Medic Tim (Jun 27, 2014)

Unless you win a green card, marry an american, or win some other visa/immigration lottery you wont be able to work in the USA as a medic. 

 Some student visas allow you opt or cpt status (if you did your program in the usa) I was able to work on OPT status with my F1 student visa. Now that that status is over I am not even allowed to volunteer. 

It sounds like you were mislead and/or didn't do your homework.

What country are you from?
Where did you do your training? cert or degree?
Where were you expecting to work and what were you expecting to make?

It is impossible to get a skilled worker visa as a medic. Like i said the only way around it is to come into the us on another type of visa that will allow you to get a work permit. By the time you are able to accomplish this your NREMT cert would probably be expired.


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## Scott33 (Jun 27, 2014)

Helper said:


> I am not a US citizen but partook in the course because they told us we would get visas to work immediately upon registration.




Are you able to get that in writing?


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## Helper (Jun 30, 2014)

Thanks for the replies....Yes we were definitely mislead!!!! The company who ran the programme called all the prospective students with the following news:

"You can get a visa as soon as you as you graduate so you can start work immediately"

Up until then I had said No to the course as I could not afford to volunteer in the USA to gain experience (which was the alternative).

When I got that call I decided to sign up. It wasn't until just over a month before graduation that we were told otherwise. 

We are looking into Canada now and maybe New Zealand but its not looking good due to our inexperience. Any advice on getting experience abroad as a NREMT-P? We don't really care where we work as long as it's ALS experience and we don't care if the money isn't good - it's better than nothing!!!!


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## Scott33 (Jun 30, 2014)

Have you spoken with the company about misleading you with the promise of a visa? 

You didn't say where you were from but the NREMT-P doesn't travel very well.


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## Helper (Jul 1, 2014)

Yes we have spoken with the two companies and the College involved. They are simply pointing the fingers at one another, no one will take responsibility (surprisingly!). Supposedly they all have paperwork to prove that the others were in charge of the visa situation.

We were told that we would be able to work in a number of countries with the NREMT-P qualification - as you say this isn't the case. :sad:

We are looking into Canada, we've got a definite "no" from Australia and New Zealand is a big risk as we live in Europe and to move there without concrete job opportunities would cost a lot of money that we don't have.

Does anyone know a country/service/company willing to hire graduates??  We'll work for whatever money they are willing to pay as long as we can live off it!!


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## TransportJockey (Jul 1, 2014)

I think Ireland will take NREMT-P as a reciprocity. We had an Irish EMT on here at one point, but I don't have any solid idea.


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## Helper (Jul 1, 2014)

No, unfortunately Ireland will not give us reciprocity. They would require us to have a minimum of one year experience to get reciprocity at the level of paramedic which is a lot less advanced than NREMT-P. 

In order to get recognised at a similar level to NREMT-P three years experience or more is required. 

Our biggest problem, like most graduates is experience!!!!


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## TransportJockey (Jul 1, 2014)

Helper said:


> No, unfortunately Ireland will not give us reciprocity. They would require us to have a minimum of one year experience to get reciprocity at the level of paramedic which is a lot less advanced than NREMT-P.
> 
> In order to get recognised at a similar level to NREMT-P three years experience or more is required.
> 
> Our biggest problem, like most graduates is experience!!!!



Damn. Sorry man. I was hoping that would be a way that would work for ya'll. Although now it makes me wanna apply for reciprocity over there


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## Scott33 (Jul 1, 2014)

Helper said:


> No, unfortunately Ireland will not give us reciprocity. They would require us to have a minimum of one year experience to get reciprocity at the level of paramedic which is a lot less advanced than NREMT-P.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




If you have an EU passport maybe you could look at some of the private providers in other EU countries. Your NREMT-P should go much further than the usual FPOS or "tech" requirements many of the PAS providers require.


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## Helper (Jul 1, 2014)

Ha! Well it's not that straight forward either....Ireland have two state services that run all emergency calls. To work for either of these you must be recruited by them and trained from scratch! It's the same in Northern Ireland and Scotland. And as far as I know they don't recruit very often!!!


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## Scott33 (Jul 1, 2014)

How about an ECA or something similar in the countries you have just mentioned?


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## Helper (Jul 1, 2014)

An ECA as far as I'm aware is like an EMT, we have just graduated as paramedics and want to work in that role. If we work as ECA'S this will not contribute to our paramedic experience which is what we need. 

Also we would have to retrain as ECA'S as these vary from country to country so essentially we'd be going back to the beginning! :sad:


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## Scott33 (Jul 1, 2014)

Helper said:


> An ECA as far as I'm aware is like an EMT, we have just graduated as paramedics and want to work in that role. If we work as ECA'S this will not contribute to our paramedic experience which is what we need.




Yup, I hear you. I just believe that your options to work in a country which does not recognize your qualifications are limited at best. 

It may be the case regardless, that you would need to train from scratch.


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## Helper (Jul 1, 2014)

After spending over €20,000 on qualifying as a NREMT-P we unfortunately cannot afford to go back and retrain. We put everything into this, we're trying to exhaust all avenues before giving up. I wish we could go back and start over but it's just not possible.


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## ego (Jul 3, 2014)

What country are you from? ?? You could get into Canada on a 2 year working holiday visa they come out around January and take 4ish months to process. .. If your country is in that program. .. That would be your best bet and just working a normal job to save the cash...till you get a visa approved. ... I already have my visa approved I intend to do my Emt-p then go to Canada on the visa.... sadly I think this is your best option.


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## Medic Tim (Jul 3, 2014)

ego said:


> What country are you from? ?? You could get into Canada on a 2 year working holiday visa they come out around January and take 4ish months to process. .. If your country is in that program. .. That would be your best bet and just working a normal job to save the cash...till you get a visa approved. ... I already have my visa approved I intend to do my Emt-p then go to Canada on the visa.... sadly I think this is your best option.



It is expensive and not a guarantee that you could get licensed in Canada at an ALS level. A bare bones medic program that just meets he nremt guidelines will not transfer.


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## Scott33 (Jul 3, 2014)

ego said:


> What country are you from? ?? You could get into Canada on a 2 year working holiday visa they come out around January and take 4ish months to process. .. If your country is in that program. .. That would be your best bet and just working a normal job to save the cash...till you get a visa approved. ... I already have my visa approved I intend to do my Emt-p then go to Canada on the visa.... sadly I think this is your best option.





You don't happen to ski by any chance?



The BUNAC / J-1 / IEC type visas are good for temporary, seasonal, and limited work experience in foreign countries, but none of this relates the OPs questions. He was as eligible to qualify for a J-1 (or equivalent) before he took the NREMT-P as he is now. 



The first issue is that of reciprocity of his qualifications - or lack of it. The second, and more important issue, is that of obtaining the 'correct' (key word) visa that would allow him to work in a foreign country with those qualifications, should he ever gain reciprocity. This typically involves sponsorship from someone other than the person wishing to work abroad. 



Unfortunately, I can't see a realistic way forward without - as I have stated - starting from scratch.


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## ego (Jul 3, 2014)

I can answer for Alberta:censored:NR means nothing to Alberta college of paramedics (our governing body)Licencing is determined on a individual basis. You can expect a one on one interview, written exam, and scenario. There is no yes/no answer on out of country licencing, only a "maybe - depends on how well you are educated."Saskatchewan however will probably make you take the ACP bridge program (I believe it is an on-line course + 3 days in class) then throw a licence at you.In canada all licences are based on National Occupational Competency Profiles (NOCP) of the ACP and PCP.So unless the certificate you hold has one of those titles on it this will not be an easy, or cheap transition. It will not be impossible though.I believe it still stands that AB is the highest paying provinces in EMS right now, my Paramedic friend just got a raise to $34/hr working for a rural service. That is the higher end of the pay-scale, but you get the idea. Sask also pays well, but low call volumes in most services (heck you will never see the call volumes, that you have now, in canada!)Start with the Alberta College of Paramedics website, click on "Provincial Exam". Read over the "Agreement on international trade"Then call Karen Reed (At the college) and have a chat with her about your situation. don't know whether NREMT-P will be accepted in BC you need to contact the EMA licensing board. I do know that Nova Scotia will give you direct ACP equivalency if you hold a current NREMT-P. My recommendation would be to obtain Nova Scotia registration (relatively easy) to get your foot in the door in Canada so to speak. Once you are registered in one province it is much much easier to transfer interprovincially. I make 36.72 as a 4 year ACP with a 16.67% shift adjustment due to the shift pattern I work.


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## ego (Jul 3, 2014)

That is what I have been told in my research.. the irreconcilabiec 2 year working holiday is not hard to qualify for I got it with 3 years work as a Lifeguard.


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## ego (Jul 3, 2014)

Also I have discussed working as a paramedic with the 2 year visa they said I can I just had to do an additional medical exam (on myself by a doctor) not a test. ... Some provinces are harder than others. ... I have done alot of research on this so if you have any questions feel free to reply to this and I will try my best to answer.


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## Medic Tim (Jul 3, 2014)

ego said:


> I can answer for Alberta:censored:NR means nothing to Alberta college of paramedics (our governing body)Licencing is determined on a individual basis. You can expect a one on one interview, written exam, and scenario. There is no yes/no answer on out of country licencing, only a "maybe - depends on how well you are educated."Saskatchewan however will probably make you take the ACP bridge program (I believe it is an on-line course + 3 days in class) then throw a licence at you.In canada all licences are based on National Occupational Competency Profiles (NOCP) of the ACP and PCP.So unless the certificate you hold has one of those titles on it this will not be an easy, or cheap transition. It will not be impossible though.I believe it still stands that AB is the highest paying provinces in EMS right now, my Paramedic friend just got a raise to $34/hr working for a rural service. That is the higher end of the pay-scale, but you get the idea. Sask also pays well, but low call volumes in most services (heck you will never see the call volumes, that you have now, in canada!)Start with the Alberta College of Paramedics website, click on "Provincial Exam". Read over the "Agreement on international trade"Then call Karen Reed (At the college) and have a chat with her about your situation. don't know whether NREMT-P will be accepted in BC you need to contact the EMA licensing board. I do know that Nova Scotia will give you direct ACP equivalency if you hold a current NREMT-P. My recommendation would be to obtain Nova Scotia registration (relatively easy) to get your foot in the door in Canada so to speak. Once you are registered in one province it is much much easier to transfer interprovincially. I make 36.72 as a 4 year ACP with a 16.67% shift adjustment due to the shift pattern I work.




Pretty much this

ON has the highest wages outside industrial. My company starts ACPs at 50+ /hour.

I may be wrong but I don't think NS automatically accepts USA Nremt-ps anymore. I am licensed in 4 Canadian provinces with 0 restrictions. I was trained outside of Canada. It isn't impossible but it can be tough. Lucky I went to a good quality program that was recognized as equivalent I cma standards.


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## ego (Jul 3, 2014)

Medic Tim

 I intended to do the percom course and have roughly 6months-9 months voluntary work with a registered ambulance 3months in America 6 months in Ireland. .... do you believe this would count as equivalent or would you think this would make it alot harder to get qualified over there??


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## Medic Tim (Jul 3, 2014)

ego said:


> Medic Tim
> 
> 
> 
> I intended to do the percom course and have roughly 6months-9 months voluntary work with a registered ambulance 3months in America 6 months in Ireland. .... do you believe this would count as equivalent or would you think this would make it alot harder to get qualified over there??




You may but I doubt it. Most ACP programs are 1-2 years on top of a 1-2 year PCP course. 
I did a 1 year EMT-Intermediate course in the USA. I transferred it into Canada at the pcp level. Worked as a pcp for several years and then  got an EMS degree in the USA. I was able to get reciprocity for acp but had to do extra class, lab and clinical time. I was lucky that my program worked with me and was in contact with my provinces licensing agency.


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## ego (Jul 3, 2014)

I am going to email all the people to do with equivalency testing in all the Canadian states and see what they say better than the two of us with no real definite answers.  I will update the topic when i get reply's. 

Mind me asking what year it was when you done that Medic Tom?


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## Medic Tim (Jul 3, 2014)

ego said:


> I am going to email all the people to do with equivalency testing in all the Canadian states and see what they say better than the two of us with no real definite answers.  I will update the topic when i get reply's.
> 
> 
> 
> Mind me asking what year it was when you done that Medic Tom?




2006 for pcp and 2011 for acp .
Definitely talk to the provinces. Things are always changing. That said you will meet a lot of resistance by coworkers if you are successful.


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## ego (Jul 3, 2014)

Alot of resistance?? Why do you think that? from not being Canadian or from not doing as much years of education as them?


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## Medic Tim (Jul 3, 2014)

ego said:


> Alot of resistance?? Why do you think that? from not being Canadian or from not doing as much years of education as them?




They would view it as taking the easy way in. The ACP programs here are very tough and very expensive. They view other medics coming in with less education as a watering down of the profession. Not all but most. It isn't a huge issue. I'm jut saying don't be surprises if you catch a cold shoulder or odd remarks when you first start.


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## ego (Jul 3, 2014)

Medic Tim said:


> They would view it as taking the easy way in. The ACP programs here are very tough and very expensive. They view other medics coming in with less education as a watering down of the profession. Not all but most. It isn't a huge issue. I'm jut saying don't be surprises if you catch a cold shoulder or odd remarks when you first start.



Ah i understand. Thanks for all your help Medic Tim.. hopefully the other person gets something sorted aswell.


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## Scott33 (Jul 3, 2014)

ego said:


> Also I have discussed working as a paramedic with the 2 year visa *they* said I can I just had to do an additional medical exam (on myself by a doctor) not a test



My bold. Who are "they"?


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## ego (Jul 3, 2014)

Scott33 said:


> My bold. Who are "they"?



The government of Canada when i was applying for my visa.

The working visa allows me to work as a paramedic provided i have accreditation in the province i want to work in.


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## ego (Jul 3, 2014)

Getting the accreditation is the problem though *headspins* good thing i have over a year to sort all this stuff. ... i have a university degree so im not stuck either way but i far prefer EMS after doing 6 months voluntary work. I will do whatever im asked to do to get accredited but would prefer to spend 10k euro instead of 30k euro if possible.


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