Angel Verghese, 25, has a clear plan. The nursing graduate from Welcare College of Nursing in Kochi in southern India's Kerala state has already passed the NCLEX, the US licensing exam for registered nurses.
She is now gaining the work experience she needs before taking the IELTS English-language test and, she hopes, moving to New York, where her brother has already settled.
"I've always wanted to work in the US," Verghese told DW. "It offers better opportunities to learn, grow professionally and build a future. I know the process takes time, but I'm willing to wait."
Waiting for America
Nearly 100 kilometers (62 miles) away in Kottayam, 26-year-old Susan Kurian is further along the same journey.
