Registered nurse candidates are showing stronger performance on the NCLEX-RN in 2026, offering an encouraging signal for U.S. healthcare employers that rely on licensed nurses to fill critical staffing gaps.
According to newly released data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, RN candidates passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses at a 74.4% rate during the first half of 2026. That figure has already exceeded the full-year 2025 pass rate, marking a meaningful rebound after last year’s decline.
For hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, home health organizations, and healthcare staffing teams, the improved NCLEX-RN pass rate may help ease some pressure in the nurse recruitment pipeline. However, the data also shows that internationally educated nurses continue to face unique licensing challenges making strategic immigration and credentialing support more important than ever.
NCLEX-RN Pass Rates Improve After 2025 Decline
The 2026 rebound follows a February report showing that the NCLEX-RN pass rate dropped to an average of 69.1% in 2025. That decline was notable because it was the first annual decrease since the NCLEX exam was redesigned in 2023.
By comparison, the average NCLEX-RN pass rate in 2024 was 73.3%.
The first half of 2026 suggests the market may be stabilizing. With an overall pass rate of 74.4% through June, RN candidates are performing better than they did throughout all of 2025. For healthcare employers, this could translate into a larger pool of newly licensed registered nurses entering the workforce.
Still, the numbers vary significantly depending on whether candidates are U.S.-educated, internationally educated, first-time test-takers, or repeat test-takers.
First-Time U.S.-Educated RN Candidates Continue to Perform Strongly
First-time, U.S.-educated candidates remain the highest-performing group on the NCLEX-RN.
Data updated June 27 shows that first-time U.S.-educated RN candidates passed at an 88.6% rate through the first half of 2026. That is an improvement from the 86.7% full-year pass rate recorded in 2025.
The trend also strengthened as the year progressed:
- First quarter 2026 pass rate: 86.7%
- Second quarter 2026 pass rate: 90.2%
- First half 2026 average: 88.6%
Although this remains below the 2024 high of 91.2%, the upward movement is a positive sign for nurse workforce planning.
For U.S. healthcare organizations, stronger domestic NCLEX performance is welcome news but it does not eliminate the need for international nurse recruitment. Many facilities continue to face chronic registered nurse shortages, high turnover, and growing patient demand.
That is why international nurse hiring remains a key strategy for healthcare employers seeking long-term workforce stability.
Internationally Educated Nurses See the Largest NCLEX-RN Improvement
Internationally educated nurses taking the NCLEX-RN for the first time saw one of the most important gains in the latest data.
During the first half of 2026, 51% of internationally educated first-time candidates passed the NCLEX-RN. That is up from 47.3% in 2025.
While the pass rate remains lower than the rate for U.S.-educated first-time candidates, the improvement is significant for healthcare employers hiring foreign-trained nurses. A stronger pass rate among internationally educated nurses may support a more reliable pipeline of qualified RN candidates for U.S. hospitals and healthcare systems.
For employers sponsoring international nurses, NCLEX success is only one part of the hiring journey. Foreign-trained nurses may also need to complete credential evaluations, English-language requirements, state board nursing requirements, VisaScreen certification, immigration filings, and consular processing before they can begin working in the United States.
This is where experienced immigration legal guidance can make a measurable difference.
Repeat Test-Takers Show Mixed Results
The 2026 NCLEX-RN data is more mixed for repeat candidates.
U.S.-educated repeat test-takers passed at a 51.6% rate during the first half of 2026. That result is generally consistent with recent years and suggests limited movement in this category.
Internationally educated repeat candidates remained the lowest-performing group, with a 31.7% pass rate in the first half of 2026. That is a slight improvement from 30.5% in 2025, but still well below the 42.4% pass rate reported in 2023.
For healthcare employers, these figures highlight the importance of understanding where each international nurse candidate stands in the licensing process before building staffing timelines around them. A candidate who has already passed the NCLEX-RN and completed credentialing requirements may be positioned very differently from one who still needs to pass the exam or resolve state board issues.
NCLEX-PN Pass Rates Do Not Show the Same Recovery
The rebound in RN pass rates has not been mirrored in the practical nursing exam.
Candidates taking the NCLEX-PN passed at a 76.2% rate during the first half of 2026. That is below the 77.3% full-year pass rate in 2025 and further below the 79.1% rate reported in 2024.
This matters for healthcare employers that rely on licensed practical nurses or licensed vocational nurses to support patient care. While much of the immigration conversation focuses on registered nurses, practical nurse hiring and licensure trends can also affect workforce planning, especially in long-term care, skilled nursing, and home health settings.
What the 2026 NCLEX-RN Data Means for International Nurse Recruitment
The improved NCLEX-RN pass rate is a positive development, but healthcare employers should avoid viewing it as a complete solution to nursing shortages.
Demand for registered nurses remains high across the United States. Many healthcare organizations continue to face:
- Persistent RN staffing shortages
- Increased patient care needs
- Difficulty filling specialized nursing roles
- High competition for experienced nurses
- Delays in nurse onboarding and licensure
- Complex immigration and visa sponsorship requirements
International nurse recruitment can help address these challenges, but only when employers have a clear plan for immigration compliance, licensure timing, credential verification, and visa processing.
For many foreign-trained registered nurses, employment-based immigration may involve the EB-3 visa category, immigrant visa processing, adjustment of status, PERM-related considerations where applicable, VisaScreen certification, state nursing board requirements, and coordination between legal teams, recruiters, HR departments, and candidates.
A delay in any one part of the process can affect the entire hiring timeline.
Why Healthcare Employers Need a Strong Immigration Strategy
Healthcare organizations hiring international nurses need more than a recruitment plan. They need an immigration strategy that supports compliance, speed, and long-term workforce stability.
An effective international nurse hiring program should consider:
- Whether the nurse has passed the NCLEX-RN
- State board licensing requirements
- Credential evaluation status
- VisaScreen certification
- English proficiency requirements, if applicable
- EB-3 nurse visa eligibility
- Immigrant visa availability and priority dates
- Consular processing timelines
- Adjustment of status options for nurses already in the U.S.
- Employer sponsorship obligations
- Documentation needed for immigration filings
- Long-term retention planning
Because international nurse hiring involves both healthcare licensing and immigration law, employers benefit from working with legal professionals who understand the full process.
VisaMadeEZ Helps Healthcare Organizations Hire International Nurses
VisaMadeEZ is an immigration law firm that specializes in helping healthcare organizations hire international nurses. Our team supports hospitals, long-term care facilities, staffing agencies, rehabilitation centers, and other healthcare employers with the immigration legal process for foreign-trained nurses.
We help employers navigate the complexities of nurse visa sponsorship, including EB-3 visa petitions for registered nurses, immigrant visa processing, adjustment of status, immigration documentation, and compliance-focused hiring strategies.
As NCLEX-RN pass rates improve in 2026, healthcare organizations have an opportunity to strengthen their international nurse recruitment pipeline. But success depends on more than identifying qualified candidates. Employers need a clear legal roadmap that helps move nurses from recruitment to licensure to work authorization as efficiently as possible.
The Bottom Line
The first half of 2026 brought encouraging news for registered nurse licensure. NCLEX-RN pass rates are rising, and internationally educated first-time candidates are showing improved performance compared with 2025.
For U.S. healthcare employers, this may help expand the pool of qualified nurses available for sponsorship. At the same time, international nurse hiring remains a complex process that requires careful coordination between recruitment, licensing, credentialing, and immigration.
Healthcare organizations that act early, plan strategically, and work with experienced immigration counsel will be better positioned to build a reliable international nurse workforce.
Ready to Hire International Nurses? VisaMadeEZ Can Help
International nurse recruitment does not have to feel overwhelming. VisaMadeEZ helps healthcare employers simplify the immigration process, reduce avoidable delays, and build stronger nurse hiring pipelines.
Whether your organization is hiring one foreign-trained registered nurse or building a large-scale international nurse recruitment program, our immigration legal team can guide you through each step.
VisaMadeEZ can help with:
- EB-3 visa sponsorship for registered nurses
- Immigration petitions for foreign-trained healthcare workers
- International nurse hiring strategy
- VisaScreen and documentation guidance
- Consular processing and adjustment of status support
- Immigration compliance for healthcare employers
Build your international nurse workforce with confidence.
Contact VisaMadeEZ today to discuss how your healthcare organization can hire and sponsor international nurses more efficiently.
