8 countries where nurses earn the highest salaries

Switzerland, Luxembourg and Denmark rank among the most lucrative destinations for nurses in GIS’s 2026 list, but the advertised salaries come with professional and practical barriers for internationally trained workers.

Switzerland ranks first, with an estimated annual nursing salary of $123,068. Foreign-trained nurses must have their qualifications recognised before practising, and the Swiss Red Cross handles recognition for regulated healthcare professions. Applicants also need language proficiency, with B2-level certificates in German, French or Italian accepted for the recognition process. The Swiss Red Cross reported that about 5,000 nursing qualifications were recognised in 2025.

Luxembourg ranks second, with an estimated annual salary of $112,277. Nurses trained abroad must meet professional and language requirements, and French, German or Luxembourgish can be important for employment in the healthcare system. The country’s relatively high cost of living also needs to be considered when assessing the value of the salary.

Denmark ranks third, with an estimated annual salary of $100,575. Nurses need authorisation from the Danish Patient Safety Authority, but applicants from outside the European Union and European Economic Area face an additional restriction. Denmark has introduced a zero quota for nursing-authorisation applications from those countries, currently in effect until Dec. 31, 2026, subject to specific exemptions. As a result, the country may not be accessible to many internationally trained nurses despite its high estimated pay.

The figures in the ranking come from estimates based on public job postings collected in April 2026 and converted into U.S. dollars. The article notes that experience, specialty, qualifications, location and employer can all influence actual pay, while licensing, language, immigration rules and living costs shape the overall benefit of working abroad.