Medical Solutions provided this article.
By Sarah Wengert
If you’re a new or aspiring traveler, you’ve probably wondered about the length of travel nursing assignments. Are travel nurses constantly on the go, or can they unpack and stay awhile? What is “awhile” anyway?
Travel nursing jobs vary in length, and that variance depends on each facility’s staffing needs. When choosing the right assignment length, travelers should consider things like original contract length, the possibility of extending an assignment, and other factors that will be unique to them and their needs.
There are also important IRS tax compliance considerations that impact your ability to receive lodging, meals, and incidental per diems on a non-taxable basis. Your staffing agency will have its own internal policies that align with several important IRS rules that ensure you are eligible to receive non-taxable travel benefits.
How long can You remain in the same general location while on a Travel assignment?
If you wish to continue to receive non-taxable per diems (and nearly all traveling clinicians do!), the short answer is that you cannot remain in the same general assignment location for more than one year. While many IRS rules are unclear, this is one that’s fairly straightforward: Among other requirements, working in any particular assignment location must be “temporary” in order to receive non-taxable per diems. The IRS rules state that if your assignment lasts, or is expected to last, more than one year, then the assignment is not “temporary”. And as a result, you are not entitled to non-taxable per diems. The months at the assignment location do not have to occur consecutively to hit the 12-month limit.
What is the Average Length of a Travel Assignment?
Most travel nursing assignments last 13 weeks, but they can come in many other lengths. Other common travel nurse assignment lengths include 8, 4, or even 1-2 weeks on the shorter side. On the longer side, sometimes travel jobs last 20 or even 26 weeks.
That brings us to the next important thing to know about how long travel nurses stay in one location: Travel nursing assignment extensions!
Can You Extend Your Travel Nurse Assignment?
Yes, you can extend your travel nurse assignment if both you and the facility agree to an extension.
Many facilities like to extend a travel nursing assignment when they still have the staffing need and are happy and familiar with a traveler. Many travelers like to extend their assignment when they’re happy with the facility and location.
When it works for both a facility and a traveler, travel nurse assignment extensions provide a smooth transition into a longer-term arrangement for both parties!
Remember that you can always ask your recruiter for a specific length of assignment if that’s what you need. You might not be able to choose your exact travel nurse assignment length, but it never hurts to ask your recruiter so they’re looking out for you and your unique needs. A good recruiter will always do their best to get as close as possible to your request from the current pool of available travel nursing assignments — so make sure you openly communicate your needs to them.
Again, the duration of your travel nursing job depends on the facility’s staffing needs and their particular interest in you. So, some assignments may last for an irregular time span if that’s what’s needed. Ultimately, a travel nurse can safely stay in one place for as long as the facility needs them and agrees to rehire them for up to 12 months. And, of course, when a traveler agrees to stay in that facility and location!
Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.
