Congress is reviewing bi-partisan legislation to allow 40,000 more immigrant doctors and nurses to gain green cards and work permits and join the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Immigrant nurses and doctors play a vital role in our health care system, and their contributions are now more crucial than ever. Where would we be in this pandemic without them? ” Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, said when announcing the bill.
The “Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act” bill would allow foreign nurses with approved immigrant visas and foreign physicians with approved immigrant petitions to come to the United States and take unfilled jobs in hospitals and medical facilities. Immigrant medical professionals would be required to meet all licensing requirements, pay filing fees, and clear national security and criminal background checks.
The doctor and nurses green card bill would:
• Authorize the recapture of 25,000 immigrant visas for professional nurses and 15,000 immigrant visas for physicians;
• Allow these visas to be issued in order of the priority date, regardless of per-country limitations;
• Issue visas for the immediate family members of these individuals (not counted toward the 40,000 limit);
• Require the Departments of Homeland Security and State to more quickly process these applications/petitions;
• Mandate that a petitioner attest that in hiring the professional nurse a U.S. worker has not or will not be displaced.
71% of all U.S. health care workers are immigrants, and more than one in four doctors are immigrants.
Nurse Green Cards:
There are several types of work visas available to foreign registered nurses depending on your level of education and training, including H-1B, TN, E3, H-1B1, and H-1C visa categories.
Doctor Green Cards:
Foreign doctors may qualify for a green card under several visa categories including an EB-1 visa for priority workers with extraordinary ability, an H-1B visa for doctors to teach, perform research or residency, or an EB-4 visa Category – Special Immigrant Category: Physicians (International Medical Graduates).
Godoy Law Firm’s experienced business immigration attorneys can help with green cards for healthcare professionals and employers, including hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, registered nurses, physical therapists, medical technologists, occupational therapists, nursing assistants.
Contact Godoy Law Office today at 855-554-6369 to answer foreign nurses and doctor’s questions about immigration, help you file an immigration application and guide you through every step of the immigration process.
