The industry of traveling nurses has picked up and the number of companies has soared in recent years. With the United States of America and Canada experiencing a shortage in for the past couple of years, traveling nurse companies are appearing in large numbers. Within the United States and Canada, these companies search for nurses and send them to medical centers and hospitals that are in need of and lack manpower. The nurses who are sent to different locations enjoy a lifestyle of traveling and lucrative pay. They are also given medical, health, life, dental and vision insurance, with food and lodging allowances, and an all-expense paid trip to their destination. They may even be given a retirement package. Some companies offer allowances for continued education. Wanting to stock up on their manpower, companies offer loyalty and referral bonuses to encourage their current nurses to stay while looking for more health-care professionals.

With the lack of manpower in the US and Canada, there are companies who are opening up employment to foreign countries such as the Philippines, India, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa. Health care professionals have to meet high standards and a certain level of educational background and experience to qualify for these companies. Applicants who originate from non-English speaking countries have to pass exams to test their skills on comprehensive reading and writing in English to qualify for the job. They also have to qualify for a Visa in the country of their destinations. However, due to the lack of nurses, these countries usually grant them the necessary documents. In fact, in recent years, the United States has started giving out Visas just for nurses.