Thursday, November 19, 2009

End of the H-1C

On December 20, 2009, the H-1C Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas visa program will expire unless Congress takes further action. All H-1C petitions must be filed before the December 20, 2009 expiration. At this point, it is unexpected that Congress will take the necessary action. The program was first authorized in 1999 and was last reauthorized in 2006. The H-1C is an H-1B-like visa program specifically for Registered Nurses.

While the H-1C program could be an excellent visa option for some, legacy regulation and interpretation has limited the application of the H-1C to just 14 facilities in the United States. While the H-1C expiration may be devastating for these 14 facilities, it will have no effect on any other facilities in the United States.

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