NCLEX for Jamaican and Caribbean nurses: where to test and what you need
Written and reviewed by Rachel Goldberg, MSN, RN, CEN · 3 min read · Updated November 2026
Short answer
You cannot take the NCLEX in Jamaica; as of November 2026 no Caribbean country is on NCSBN's international list, and Puerto Rico is the only Caribbean site named. Jamaican nurses apply to a US state board, meet that board's credential rules (often a TruMerit, formerly CGFNS, report), then register with Pearson VUE and test in Puerto Rico, the mainland US or another listed country.
Is there an NCLEX center in Jamaica?
No. NCSBN's testing locations page lists international sites in Australia, Brazil, France, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Turkiye and the United Kingdom. Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and the Bahamas do not appear.
For most Jamaican candidates the realistic choices are Puerto Rico, a mainland US center such as South Florida, or the United Kingdom. Check the Pearson VUE locator on nclex.com for live seats, since NCSBN says the international list can change without notice.
Puerto Rico vs the US Virgin Islands: the fee difference
This is the detail Caribbean candidates miss. NCSBN's candidate bulletin defines domestic centers as the US and its territories, naming American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico is not in that sentence; it sits on the international list instead.
So a Puerto Rico appointment adds the $150 international scheduling fee, plus VAT where it applies, and the only ID accepted there is a passport. A seat in the US Virgin Islands or on the mainland is domestic, with no extra fee. As of November 2026 the base registration fee is $200, rising to $350 on February 1, 2027.
Do Jamaican nurses need CGFNS?
It depends on the board you apply to. TruMerit is the new name for CGFNS, and its CES Professional Report is accepted by all 50 state boards. Florida's own board document names six approved agencies: it accepts a report from any of six named agencies, including CGFNS, Josef Silny and Educational Records Evaluation Service, and rejects any agency not listed.
California works differently. Its Board of Registered Nursing page asks for official transcripts mailed to the board plus its own international diploma and license verification forms, and does not mention CGFNS. Pick the board first, then read that board's page, not an evaluator's summary of it.
Do Jamaican nurses need an English test?
For licensure, often not. Florida, for example, requires an English competency exam only when nursing textbooks and instruction were not in English, which is not the usual case for a Jamaican program. Other boards set their own rules, so confirm on the board's page.
For a US work visa, the picture changes. TruMerit's VisaScreen exempts only nurses educated in the UK, Australia, Canada outside Quebec, New Zealand, Ireland or the US. Jamaica is not on that list, so a Jamaican nurse heading for a US job should expect to sit TOEFL iBT, Academic IELTS, OET, PTE Academic, MET or Cambridge English at a test center.
A Jamaican candidate checklist
Choose the board and read its international applicant page. Ask the licensing authority that issued your Jamaican license and your school to send verification and transcripts directly to the evaluator or board, because TruMerit does not accept copies mailed by the applicant. Then register with Pearson VUE, wait for the Authorization to Test, and book inside its validity window.
If the end goal is working in the US, start the English test and VisaScreen planning while the board file is open. As of November 2026 TruMerit lists VisaScreen for registered nurses at $740 and the CES Professional Report at $485.
Sources
NCLEX testing locations (NCSBN). International test center list; Jamaica not listed, Puerto Rico listed (viewed November 2026).
2026 NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin (NCSBN, April 2026). Domestic vs international center definitions, $150 international fee, passport-only ID including Puerto Rico, fee schedule.
Licensure information for applicants educated outside the US (Florida Board of Nursing). Six board-approved evaluation agencies; English test only when instruction was not in English.
Licensure by examination (California Board of Registered Nursing). International transcripts mailed to the board and board-supplied verification forms.
VisaScreen visa credentials assessment (TruMerit). English test exemption countries and accepted English tests.
Common questions
Is there an NCLEX center in Jamaica?
No. As of November 2026 Puerto Rico is the only Caribbean location on NCSBN's international list. The US Virgin Islands count as a US territory, so a seat there would be domestic.
Do Jamaican nurses need CGFNS for the NCLEX?
Only if the board requires it. Florida lists CGFNS (now TruMerit) plus five other approved agencies, while California asks for mailed transcripts and its own forms and does not mention CGFNS.
Is testing in Puerto Rico more expensive?
Yes. Puerto Rico is classed as an international center, so NCSBN adds a $150 scheduling fee plus any VAT, and a passport is the only accepted ID there.