Before 2007, if you were a nurse from the Philippines dreaming of a career in the U.S., the licensing process felt like climbing a mountain—blindfolded. It was messy, confusing, and painfully slow. But today, thousands of nurses are making that dream a reality faster than ever before—and it’s largely thanks to a quiet revolution led by a pioneering company called NEAC Medical Exams Application Center- which revolutionized the system for the NCLEX exam application process.

From Disarray to Direction

In the early 2000s, applying for the NCLEX as a foreign nurse was, in many ways, an exercise in endurance. Each U.S. state nursing board had its own maze of requirements. From choosing the right state and submitting credential evaluations to arranging fingerprinting, criminal background checks, and visa screenings—no single roadmap existed.

“It felt like you were blindfolded and left to figure things out on your own,” recalls Jenna S., a Filipina nurse now working in New York. “One wrong form or missed document could set you back months.”

The broken process cost aspiring nurses time, money, and in some cases, their dream entirely.

That changed when NEAC entered the picture.

NEAC: The Pioneer in NCLEX Exam Processing and Medical Licensing Assistance

Founded NEAC in 2004, Dr. Elbe Akman, incorporated in 2007, was recruiting nurses for the USA prior, saw the gap and difficulties of every candidate applying for the NCLEX exam and getting licensed internationally. He witnessed firsthand the decentralized and chaotic nature of NCLEX. At a time when no centralisation existed, NEAC became the first to offer a complete, end-to-end NCLEX and medical licensing assistance service—connecting nurses with the right state board, coordinating credentialing, preparing documentation, and ensuring applications were accurate and complete.

The effect was immediate and powerful.

Over the years, NEAC has handled tens of thousands of applications and expanded its services to other regions and licensure routes, including the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. But its core impact has remained in helping foreign-trained nurses successfully navigate the U.S. NCLEX process—faster, smarter, and more confidently.

A Surge in the U.S.-Bound Nurses

The centralised support structure pioneered by NEAC has led to a tangible shift in the global nursing landscape.

According to data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), the number of internationally educated nurses passing the NCLEX-RN exam has steadily increased in the past two decades. In 2005, fewer than 10,000 passed. By 2024, the number had climbed significantly, with the majority coming from countries where centralised services like NEAC are available.

What once took years of back-and-forth, confusion, and guesswork now takes weeks. More importantly, nurses from developing nations can access global opportunities without relying on unregulated agents or falling into misinformation traps.

Boosting the U.S. Healthcare Workforce

The impact hasn’t gone unnoticed by American hospitals and recruiters, many of whom now actively prefer nurses who go through centralised application services.

With the U.S. facing a projected shortfall of over 200,000 nurses annually, especially in rural and underserved communities, internationally educated nurses are helping fill critical staffing gaps. A streamlined application process not only benefits the individual—it fuels a global solution to a healthcare crisis.

Redefining What’s Possible

For nurses across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, NEAC’s role has gone beyond paperwork. It has helped professionalise a path to migration that was once riddled with risk and uncertainty. And in doing so, it has empowered thousands—especially women—to pursue better lives abroad through ethical, guided, and dignified processes.

NEAC’s success also speaks to a larger truth: that infrastructure and information are just as important as qualifications when it comes to global mobility. By centralising a broken system, NEAC made it possible for skilled professionals to cross borders not just with credentials, but with confidence.

The Road Ahead

As more countries begin to rely on international nurse recruitment to meet healthcare demands, centralised licensing support will only become more vital. NEAC is now investing in digital tools, automation, and AI-driven verification systems to make the process even more seamless.

What started as a nurse’s response to a personal struggle has evolved into an industry-shaping force.

The global nursing workforce may never be the same again—and that’s a good thing.