The Trump Administration on Sept. 19, 2025, released a presidential proclamation that imposes a $100,000 supplemental fee on new H-1B petitions (and restricts H-1B admission into the U.S. unless the fee is paid) and will...more
For hospitals and health systems seeking to recruit talented physicians, navigating J-1 waiver programs is essential. Foreign physicians who have completed a training program in the U.S. must either return to their home...more
The U.S. healthcare system stands at a critical juncture. Projections estimate a deficit of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, threatening access to care, especially in underserved communities. The bipartisan Doctors in Our...more
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) released an updated policy manual at the end of September for the 2025 Conrad 30 Waiver Program application cycle, which opened October 1st. Changes include an online-only submission...more
Maryland health care employers and J-1 physicians who commit to serve the underserved in Maryland and who missed Conrad 30 waiver application deadline Dec. 1 are in luck: The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) has reopened...more
A government shutdown was narrowly avoided on September 30, 2023 after Congress passed a continuing resolution to fund the government for an additional 45 days. However, another shutdown is possible if Congress does not pass...more
Join us for an exciting and informative webinar, "Key Immigration Takeaways for Health Care Professionals: H-1B, J-1, and Conrad/National Interest Waivers" This one-hour webinar is specifically designed for Human Resources...more
Employers throughout the healthcare industry often experience difficulty hiring physicians due to a shortage of healthcare professionals in the United States. Physicians who hold J-1 visa status often require approval of a...more
The U.S. faces a shortage of 124,000 physicians by 2034 according to the latest study by the Association of American Medical Colleges – a projection exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals seeing increased traffic,...more
J-1 status is a favorite for foreign nationals attending medical resident training programs in the United States. While there are many advantages to the J-1 visa category, one major obstacle remains for J-1 physicians who...more
In its June 2021 physician supply and demand report, “The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections From 2019 to 2034” (the “Report”), the Association of American Medical Colleges (“AAMC”) highlights the...more
On May 11, 2002, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Memorandum relating to certain J-1 waivered foreign medical graduates during the COVID-19 national emergency. The memo, captioned “Temporary...more
Healthcare workers – critical to the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic – are needed more now than ever, yet the bureaucracy surrounding employment of foreign national healthcare workers creates roadblocks....more
With media attention focused, and rightfully so, on the migrant crisis at our southern border, it is also important to pay attention to a more slowly-brewing crisis in our immigration policies and laws that directly affect...more
The Texas Service Center has begun processing Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, for H-1B petitions where the beneficiary has already been charged against the H-1B annual limit. ...more
Since at least 2013, there have been efforts to make the Conrad 30 J-1 visa waiver program for physicians permanent. But that has not happened and it continues to be necessary to reauthorize the program every year....more
The United States health care system is struggling with an acute shortage of doctors. What does that have to do with immigration? The short answer is: Quite a lot. The longer answer leads us to an inescapable conclusion that...more
The current government shutdown does not affect the vast majority of USCIS’s activities. Their offices are open, and interviews and appointments are proceeding as normal. USCIS continues to accept petitions and applications...more
For the third time this year, a government shutdown is looming. While the Trump Administration is lobbying for funding for a border wall, thousands of lawful immigrants are wondering, “what is going to happen to my case?” The...more
On September 18, 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would resume the premium processing service for fiscal year 2018 H-1B cap cases....more
USCIS has resumed premium processing for all H-1B visa petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 cap. This includes petitions receipted in this year's H-1B lottery process, subject to the standard H-1B cap of 65,000 and...more
USCIS announced on Monday, September 18, 2017, that it will immediately accept premium processing requests of all H-1B visa petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 cap. H-1B cap petitions filed in April 2017,...more
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced, on September 18, 2017, that it has resumed premium processing for all H-1B visa petitions subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2018 cap. USCIS had originally...more
On March 3, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) unexpectedly announced that it would temporarily suspend its premium processing service for all H-1B petitions received on or after April 3, 2017. The...more
As of July 24, 2017, USCIS has resumed premium processing service for certain types of H-1B cap-exempt petitions. While premium processing is still not available for most H-1B petitions, USCIS announced that it will now...more