As State Department Freezes Visas for Healthcare Professionals, Healthcare Workforce Coalition Urges Congress to Pass Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act
Summary
3211) in light of the recent announcement by the U.S. Department of State that no more immigrant visas would be granted to international healthcare professionals for the remainder of the fiscal year.The EB-3 visa category, which includes skilled workers such as nurses, is an important pathway for international healthcare professionals to permanently join the U.S. workforce. In its July Visa Bulletin, however, the U.S. Department of State announced a retrogression in "Final Action Dates" for several high-demand countries, such as the Philippines. This retrogression creates significant backlogs, meaning longer waiting periods for nurses to obtain their visas and start working in the U.S., directly impacting the healthcare sector’s ability to meet the demand for patient care.“Foreign-trained nurses and doctors play critical roles in providing support for our hospitals and health systems,” said Megan Cundari, Senior Director, Federal Relations, American Hospital Association. That’s why foreign-born healthcare professionals play such an integral role in protecting and expanding our nation’s workforce and patient access to care.The retrogression outlined in the July 2024 Visa Bulletin is a stark reminder of the urgent need for legislative action. It would also require employers to attest that international workers from overseas who receive these visas will not displace any American workers, and require eligible international medical professionals to meet licensing requirements, pay filing fees, and clear rigorous national security and criminal background checks before they can receive recaptured green cards.To learn more about the Healthcare Workforce Coalition, visit healthcareworkforce.org.