Philippines Nursing Exodus and Nursing Schools — 2026-09-27
The big news this week was the release of the August–September 2026 Nurse Licensure Examination results, with 28,652 of 37,359 examinees passing (76.69%). Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Washington confirmed 868 US-bound nurses completed pre-departure seminars this year, underscoring the continued outflow. A Tagalog-language column argues the country is producing more nurses yet keeping fewer of them.
Philippines Nursing Exodus and Nursing Schools — 2026-09-27
Top developments
PRC releases August–September 2026 nursing board exam results
The Professional Regulation Commission announced that 28,652 out of 37,359 examinees — a 76.69% passing rate — passed the Nurses Licensure Examination administered across 26 testing centers in August and September 2026. Results for 21 examinees were withheld.
The Manila Times confirmed the figures, noting PRC made the announcement on Saturday. A passing cohort of nearly 29,000 newly licensed nurses matters for both domestic hospital staffing and the pipeline feeding US NCLEX candidates, UK OSCE applicants, and Gulf-bound workers.
PhilNews reported PRC also released the top 10 examinees and top-performing schools alongside the full passer list.
School performance: Tuguegarao and Trinity lead
Per PRC's criteria (minimum 100 examinees, at least 85% passing), February 2026 benchmark data show Saint Paul University–Tuguegarao topping schools with a 99.10% rate (220 of 222 examinees), while Trinity University of Asia posted 99.73%. School rankings steer enrollment choices for the next wave of nursing students.
US-bound nurses attend a Special Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar hosted by the Migrant Workers Office in Washington, D.C.
868 US-bound nurses complete pre-departure seminars
The Migrant Workers Office of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. concluded its 2026 series of Special Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars (SPDOS), with 868 Filipino nurses participating across the year's sessions — a concrete marker of the ongoing exodus to the US.
The Embassy's own press release (WDC-53-2026, September 18) detailed the most recent session hosting 187 US-bound nurses. For recruiters in the US, this steady SPDOS throughput signals continued, orderly deployment flows.
Local view
Pilipino Star Ngayon's September 27 column "Mga nurse sa Pilipinas dumarami, kumokonti" ("Philippine nurses increase in number yet decrease in supply") cites the 868 SPDOS participants as an example of the continued departure of Filipino nurses, framing the paradox that nursing schools keep producing graduates while the domestic workforce keeps shrinking.
Context & numbers
- August–September 2026 PNLE: 28,652 passed of 37,359 examined (76.69%), in 26 testing centers.
- February 2026 PNLE, for comparison: 3,611 of 8,162 passed.
- Historical destination mix: since 1992, Saudi Arabia (56.8%), the US (13.14%) and the UK (12.25%) have absorbed most deployed Filipino nurses.
- A House bill filed earlier this year seeks a ₱50,000 minimum monthly salary for nurses nationwide — a central talking point in the retention debate.
On the radar
- Verify-ratings and oathtaking schedules for the August–September 2026 cohort are being published via PRC channels; watch for the oath-taking registration window.
- The next PNLE cycle's schedule announcement (per PRC Resolutions) will shape 2027 enrollment and review-center demand.
- Italy's hiring push extending work permits for Filipino health workers to 2029 remains a destination to watch alongside traditional US/UK/Gulf routes.
- The ₱50,000 minimum-salary bill's progress in Congress could alter the exodus math if passed.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
Powered by
