Government charges appear in the USCIS fee schedule and at the port of entry; certification, licensure and evaluation charges are set by those bodies. Who reimburses what is a contract question to settle in writing before money is spent.
Separate the fee schedule from the recruiter's promises
A nurse's file involves several payees. The port of entry charges a TN application fee for a Canadian applying there; if the employer files Form I-129 instead, the USCIS fee schedule on Form G-1055 governs and the employer is normally the one paying. The certifying organization charges for the health care worker certificate and often for a credential verification and an English test.
The state board charges for licensure by endorsement or examination. Recruiters frequently say the hospital covers everything, which may be true, but a promise made by phone is not a reimbursement policy. Ask for the written relocation or recruitment agreement, note which items it names, and check whether repayment is triggered if the nurse leaves within a set period.
Professional consultation fees sit outside all of these and should be quoted separately. Do not pay for an expedited state application on the strength of a start date that has not been confirmed in writing. Hypothetical example: A dialysis nurse is offered a recruitment package that says licensure support is available but does not define reimbursement.
Ask for an itemized written schedule before ordering a credential review or an English examination. The offer letter and the reimbursement policy settle whether a charge is paid directly, reimbursed after arrival, or recoverable if employment ends early. A first review should also separate government charges from professional, licensing and travel expenses so that one delayed state-board step does not become an unexpected personal loss.
Keep receipts with the version of the policy that applied when the expense was incurred.