The US healthcare staffing market was already substantial before the pandemic. Post-Covid, the combination of staff shortages, demographic ageing and expanding healthcare infrastructure has accelerated growth significantly. Projections now put the market at over $40bn by 2032.
What is driving the growth
The primary driver is simple: demand for healthcare professionals is growing faster than supply. The US faces a shortage of trained medical personnel across almost every specialty, from primary care physicians to specialist nurses and allied health workers.
The travel nursing market in particular has become one of the largest segments. Attractive pay, flexible schedules and the ability to work in high-demand locations have made travel nursing appealing to a growing number of clinicians - and highly lucrative for agencies that serve this niche.
The locum tenens market is also expanding rapidly as both hospitals and ambulatory surgery centres look for flexible staffing solutions that can respond to fluctuating demand.
Challenges in the market
The opportunity is real but so are the barriers. Credentialing requirements in the US are complex and vary by state. The compliance burden is significant compared to the UK market. And the largest players in US healthcare staffing - AMN, Cross Country, Aya Healthcare - are well-resourced and deeply entrenched.
For UK agencies looking to enter this market, the most realistic path is through a niche focus: a specific specialty, a specific geography or a specific type of facility where they can compete on knowledge and relationships rather than scale.
Several of the recruitment agencies we work with have expanded into the US market. The ones that have done it successfully started with a very specific niche rather than trying to replicate their full UK offering from day one.
Marketing for international expansion
Entering a new market requires a different kind of marketing investment. Your existing UK brand may carry no recognition whatsoever in the US. That means rebuilding credibility from scratch - through content, case studies, sector-specific positioning and a digital presence that speaks directly to the American healthcare hiring audience.
It also means your website needs to work harder. International clients and candidates will evaluate you entirely on your digital presence before they pick up the phone. A strong website, a clear value proposition and evidence of relevant results are non-negotiable.
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