Straight answers, before you book anything.

PETS Vet Placement is a United States based recruitment and placement firm focused solely on veterinary medicine. We answer the demand for veterinarians in the US by working with international veterinarians who have graduated from AVMA-accredited universities outside the United States — meaning their education is on par with US veterinary students.

Every candidate we present has already passed the NAVLE — we do not accept or place veterinarians who haven't. From there, the remaining step is the state board for the location of the placement, which we coordinate and keep moving alongside you and the candidate.

Our candidates are graduates of AVMA-accredited universities. Many are bilingual. They range from recent graduates to experienced practitioners — all of them NAVLE-passed — and every one has chosen this path deliberately — they are highly motivated professionals who want very much to practice in the United States.

We only accept and place candidates who have already passed the NAVLE, so there is no scenario where you are asked to hire on the hope that an exam goes well. We are still glad to hear from new graduates who are preparing — we will happily recommend the study resources we have seen work, and we would welcome a conversation once the exam is behind them.

We require an English language proficiency of C1 to accept a candidate. Proficiency is administered by a professional language instructor using the same test used for the AVMA-accredited ECFVG program (the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates).

PVP handles all immigration needed to get your veterinarian to your clinic. That does not mean we won't need information and signatures from you, but our immigration attorney does the heavy lifting.

Less than you would expect. Because every candidate has already passed the NAVLE, we have placeable veterinarians available through most of the year, with larger groups becoming available after each testing cycle. We work backward compared to most recruiters: we secure the veterinarians first, then find the practice that matches what they are looking for. The remaining timeline is the state board and immigration, not an exam you are waiting on.

Hiring an international veterinarian binds that doctor to your practice for a determined period, which protects your investment. PVP covers the cost of a TN visa to place veterinarians with your clinic. TN visas are tied to the employer and are renewable. Our contract stipulates that veterinarians be given the option to later seek an H-1B visa and then permanent residency, with you continuing as sponsor. We recommend our attorney handle these steps because he will already have worked with your veterinarian, but you are free to use anyone you want.

Our fee is a flat amount per candidate rather than a percentage of salary, which leaves you free to offer competitive wages without increasing what you pay in recruiting. It covers finding, screening, and credentialing the candidate, coordinating the state board for your location, and the immigration work needed to get your veterinarian to your clinic. We'll walk you through the specifics in your first meeting.

Competitive salaries, relocation support, and benefits should all still be on the table — these doctors have access to the internet and know what is being offered. Many practices use a tiered approach: a starting salary with relocation support in year one, stepping up once the doctor is trained and acclimated. We're glad to talk through what makes sense for your market.

Practices that will help them acclimate to the United States and provide veterinary mentorship. Some are new graduates, others have years of experience, but both will have to learn how we do things here. A fair wage and a family feel will win over a large salary with most of our candidates. Some are arriving with families and some with only their pets — all of them need a placement that will care about them and help them succeed in a brand-new country.

No. While our focus is DVM placement, that isn't limited to clinics and veterinary offices. Placement also includes the roles veterinarians play in city government, corporate environments, and research facilities.

Not at all. When you reach out to PVP, you are ready to interview candidates. You can let your old recruitment firms know, take down your ads, and stop losing sleep over how your practice will serve a growing community.