“To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide nonimmigrant status to nurses working in certain facilities.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section revises requirements for H-1C nonimmigrant visas (i.e., for qualified nurses to work temporarily in U.S. health professional shortage areas) by (1) increasing the annual cap to 20,000 visas nationwide (from 500), eliminating state-specific sublimits in prior subparagraphs (A)–(C), and requiring employment in shortage areas designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration; and (2) requiring employing facilities to have a policy on provider-to-patient staffing ratios. The section further directs the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and State to issue implementing regulations within one year of enactment and makes the changes applicable to petitions granted on or after the date of enactment.