Filipino nurse, Toni Mandia, makes her life goal happen
It is no secret that Filipino nurses are regarded as some of the best healthcare providers worldwide. Their culture, dedication, and upbringing nurture natural caregivers who are soft-spoken yet hardworking, friendly yet tactful, highly skilled yet admirably humble.
Many people wonder why so many Filipino nurses find their way to America. In fact, over 4% of the U.S. nursing workforce is comprised of Filipino nurses, raising the question of why this is the case. For many Filipinos, nursing serves as a direct pathway to a better life in the U.S. Due to the significant nursing shortage in the country, the profession provides highly competitive salaries and offers a window for foreigners who might not otherwise be granted immigration rights. As a result, nursing presents an attractive opportunity for those seeking a brighter future in the land of the free.
If you were to visit the beautiful town of Nassau County, USA, which is less than an hour’s ride from Manhattan, you’d find yourself on a quiet block surrounded by grass and trees. If you were to open the shades, you might meet Toni Mandia—an incredible Filipino nurse who dreamed big and made it happen. She is still acclimating to the new culture and colder climate, but she is glad she made this decision. Although her journey was not always easy, by November 2024, she stepped foot in the Big Apple, realizing that her lifelong pursuit is now the life she is living. As she adjusts to this new chapter, along with seven like-minded friends and roommates, she looks forward to the greater things that await her as she embraces her new home.
Parents with high hope
Toni grew up in a small village in the Philippines with her loving parents and two younger brothers, Kenneth and Jager. Her mother was a nurse, while her father was a hardworking man who ran a small neighborhood supermarket. Naturally, as the oldest sister, she helped her parents and acted as a second mom to her siblings.
Toni’s mother cherished her talents and encouraged her to pursue her passions. “As a child, I learned to dance, play the piano, and even joined a cheerleading squad!” she recalls. She greatly admired her parents, and their ambitions became her lifelong inspiration. “My parents always wanted to come to America, but it never happened. They couldn’t have been happier to see me come here,” she reminisces, reflecting on those memories.
A career path of Caring
“When your mother is a nurse and you have countless cousins in the same profession, and you are the oldest girl with a nurturing nature, it’s not a hard decision to make,” Toni explains. Additionally, she recognized that being a nurse opens a wide range of potential sponsorship opportunities.
“After graduating with a nursing degree, I did what most Filipino nurses do: I pursued an opportunity in the UAE, where the pay was much better than in the Philippines and there is no income tax.” In the Emirates, she worked for five years in home care, gaining valuable experience in a less intense setting. However, after the company went bankrupt, she transitioned to a medical center, where she served as the charge nurse for six years.
Getting to know White Glove Placement
Even after years in the Emirates, Toni never gave up on her big goal – America. However, being sponsored to move to the U.S. is not simple, as not many staffing agencies are willing to invest in the process, which can take a couple of years. “When I was first introduced to White Glove Placement, an American nurse staffing agency that sponsors foreign nurses, I couldn’t believe it. It was too good to be true. They offered sponsorship, handled the entire process, arranged housing, and covered most of the costs,” she shares.
While the process takes time, Toni found the White Glove staff to be very helpful, reassuring, and determined to make her transition smooth and exciting. “There are so many bureaucracies to navigate, but they handle everything for you,” Toni recommends that other nurses follow her example, as she believes it was worth every effort. “Today, I earn in three days what nurses in the Philippines earn in a month!” she exclaims.
Building a new chapter
Toni arrived in the U.S. on November 12, 2024. As passengers on the plane applauded, she felt ready to embrace all the new experiences awaiting her. While she made the big move on her own, she was thankful to have a close aunt living in New York, who provided incredible support during her transition. “With the help of White Glove, I was able to find a cozy apartment shared with others, so I wouldn’t feel lonely. White Glove covered my flight ticket, housing expenses, and guided me when I first arrived,” she expresses gratefully.
“People warned me about income tax, but the salary is so much greater that it makes it worth it. There are also no limits to what you can achieve here. There are no limitations.”
After experiencing the newness of life in the UAE a few years earlier, it felt strange to go through it all over again. “I won’t forget the time I got on the wrong bus because I misread the directions and ended up in a completely different neighborhood. It took some time to get the right directions. These things happen when you’re new, and you definitely need to be prepared for them before you head out,” she advises.
When asked what she missed most, Toni mentions the shwarma from the Middle East and the fresh fish from the Philippines, but she is gradually developing a taste for the local cuisine.
Toni’s goal is to bring her parents to the U.S. once she has worked long enough to help them fulfill their lifelong dream. She wants to take them on a tour of all the great places she has visited since her arrival and sponsor them to come to the U.S.
Cultural adjustments
When we asked Toni about the challenges she faced, she mentioned that they were few and far between. “The biggest change was definitely the weather. Going from the warm and sunny Philippines to the chilly U.S. was quite a shock, especially since summer had ended when I arrived, and it was the beginning of fall.” She paused before adding, “The people here speak up for themselves. That took some time to get used to.”
One of her favorite aspects of living in the U.S. is the newfound sense of freedom. Back home, there were limitations on personal freedoms and job opportunities, so she truly appreciates the wider horizons available to her now. Even though the tax system is different, she loves the higher salaries and the variety of opportunities.
At her job, matched by White Glove, everyone was so warm and welcoming, and eager to have her on board that she didn’t feel like she was new at all. This reassured her that she made the right decision to come.
What Toni wishes to tell others
Toni wholeheartedly encourages her fellow nurses from the Philippines to consider making the move to the U.S. “The financial benefits are impressive; what a nurse can earn in a month back home can actually be made in just three days here!” Toni strongly believes in a brighter future for those willing to take the leap for themselves and their families.
“I recommend that nurses do a bit more research before arriving, especially about nursing home practices. Many nurses want to start big in prestigious hospitals, but in reality, starting in a nursing home or clinic where you can slowly adjust to the protocols and procedures that are different here makes the job transition easier.”
Making your aspirations happen
Do you, like Toni Mandia, have goals and aspirations to move to America for a better salary, a luxurious life, and career advancement? White Glove Placement assists RNs who have passed the NCLEX and sponsors them to America, matching them with incredible job opportunities in New York. No matter the hurdles, they can help you get over them. You can reach out to White Glove Placement on their website at www.whiteglovecare.com/
ADVT.
This article is brought to you by White Glove Placement, Inc.
