Medical Groups Back Legislation that would Exempt Healthcare Workers from $100,000 H-1B Filing Fee

On March 17, 2026, bipartisan legislation was introduced by U.S. Representatives Mike Lawyer (R-NY), Sanford Bishop Jr. (D-GA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), and Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) to exempt physicians and other healthcare workers from the Trump Administration’s $100,000 H-1B filing fee.

The bill, presently called the “H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act,” proposes that the $100,000 H-1B filing fee shall not apply to any H-1B worker who is employed in the healthcare sector. The proposed fee exemption would broadly cover healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, dentists, certified nurse midwives, psychologists, ambulance workers, and public health professionals as defined by Affordable Care Act.

The American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Hospital Association (AHA)—among other medical organizations—have endorsed this legislation. 

In its recent press release applauding the bill, the AMA wrote that the $100,000 H-1B filing fee raises hiring costs, which in turn worsens physician shortages, increases wait times, and reduces access care. The bill therefore aligns with AMA’s mission to build and maintain a strong healthcare workforce to serve all patient needs.

Similarly, AHA Executive VP Stacey Hughes expressed support for the bill, stating that it would maintain patient access to care by sustaining critical healthcare staffing in shortage areas.

Congress Implores DHS to Exempt Healthcare Workers from $100,000 H 1B Visa Fee

In February 2026, bipartisan members of Congress renewed calls for relief from the $100,000 H 1B visa filing fee for international healthcare workers. In an American Hospital Association (AHA)-supported letter sent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on February 11, lawmakers urged the agency to exempt healthcare workers from the fee, warning that the policy threatens already‑strained hospital staffing nationwide.

The letter, led by Representatives Yvette D. Clarke (D‑NY) and Michael Lawler (R‑NY), was signed by 100 members of Congress and emphasized that hospitals and health systems rely heavily on international professionals to maintain access to care, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

 

Hospitals Warn of Worsening Workforce Shortages

 

Lawmakers cautioned that imposing a $100,000 fee on new H‑1B visa petitions would further exacerbate existing staffing shortages and push financially vulnerable hospitals closer to the brink. According to the letter, if healthcare employers are unable to petition for H‑1B workers without absorbing the additional cost, critical clinical positions may remain unfilled, reducing patient access to essential services.

 

AHA Continues Advocacy for a Healthcare Exemption

 

The AHA’s support for the congressional letter aligns with broader, ongoing advocacy efforts by hospitals, academic medical centers, and healthcare associations seeking an exemption from the $100,000 H‑1B fee. These organizations argue that restricting access to H‑1B visas will worsen workforce shortages across multiple healthcare professions and undermine the financial viability of care providers serving high‑need populations.

 

As DHS continues to evaluate implementation of the fee, healthcare stakeholders remain focused on securing targeted relief that recognizes the essential role international professionals play in sustaining the U.S. healthcare system.

US Healthcare Industry Continues to Push for Exemptions to $100,000 H-1B Fee

In September 2025, President Trump instituted a prohibitive $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas. While lawsuits against the fee have been ongoing, the fee currently remains in effect. Hospitals, medical schools, and other healthcare companies have continued their calls for an exemption from the fee for international healthcare professionals who are essential to the US healthcare system.

In a recent article, the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) raised concerns about how the fee is already affecting major staffing decisions for US hospitals approaching national Match Day with graduating medical students on March 20, 2026.

AAMC reports that in a fall survey by the Greater New York Hospital Association (representing 260 hospitals across NY, NJ, CT, and RI), 25% of hospitals said they had paused, deferred, or limited recruitment of physicians requiring H‑1B visas. Those hospitals currently employ 1,100 H‑1B medical residents and 800 H‑1B attending physicians, highlighting the scale of potential disruption.

Importantly, AAMC emphasizes that visa‑holding physicians do not displace U.S. graduates; in fact, 97.8% of U.S. MD seniors matched into residency positions in 2025.

International medical graduates make up about 25% of all practicing U.S. physicians. In fiscal year 2024 alone, approximately 11,000 new H‑1B visas were approved for physicians, who disproportionately practice in rural and high‑poverty counties and are more likely to work in primary care.

AAMC has cosigned multiple letters, joining medical organizations, institutions of higher education, and health professions education groups, in requesting that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) exempt these groups from the fee. AAMC also sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in December 2025, warning that the proclamation will worsen the nation’s existing workforce shortage, further strain the health care workforce, and ultimately jeopardize patient access to care.

CALL FOR CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT OF HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE RESILIENCE ACT

As discussed in a previous blog post, Musillo Unkenholt is pleased to report that the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act (HWRA) has been reintroduced into Congress. The HWRA has bipartisan sponsorship of Senators Durbin and Cramer in the Senate and Representatives Brad Schneider and Don Bacon in the House.

The HWRA offers an immediate response to the U.S.’s nursing shortage crisis by recapturing 25,000 previously authorized but unused immigrant visas (Green Cards) for highly-qualified international nurses who meet strict professional requirements. The bill does not displace any U.S. nurses or increase the total number of available immigrant visas (Green Cards).

Musillo Unkenholt endorses the HWRA, an efficient and long-awaited step toward immigration reform that will work to meet the country’s growing need for a strong U.S. health care workforce.

The HWRA has the highest chance of passing in Congress with more co-sponsorship. If you or your employer would benefit from common-sense lawmaking to remedy the U.S. nursing shortage, contact your congressional representative about co-sponsorship of the HWRA.

HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE RESILIENCE ACT REINTRODUCED INTO CONGRESS

Musillo Unkenholt is pleased to report that the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act (HWRA) has been reintroduced into Congress. The HWRA has bipartisan sponsorship of Senators Durbin and Cramer in the Senate and Representatives Brad Schneider and Don Bacon in the House.

As America grapples with a devastating nursing shortage that is directly undermining the quality, accessibility, and affordability of healthcare for millions of Americans in rural communities across the country, Musillo Unkenholt endorses policymakers taking immediate action.

The HWRA offers an immediate response to this crisis by recapturing 25,000 previously authorized but unused immigrant visas (Green Cards) for highly-qualified international nurses who meet strict professional requirements. The bill does not displace any U.S. nurses or increase the total number of available immigrant visas (Green Cards).

This bipartisan solution will help to ensure rural and elderly Americans receive the nursing care they need today while policymakers seek additional solutions to help America produce more nurses in the future and end this crisis once and for all.

Musillo Unkenholt endorses the HWRA, an efficient and long-awaited step toward immigration reform that will work to meet the country’s growing need for a strong US health care workforce.

E-Verify Launches New Report on Revoked EADs

On June 20, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched a new report to allow employers to identify E-Verify cases with Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) that have been revoked.

EADs allow employees to work in a broad range of occupations and industries, including healthcare, IT, and engineering.

 

EAD Revocations by DHS

 

DHS may terminate parole and revoke aliens’ EADs at any time. Employees with revoked EADs may still possess an EAD that appears valid, although their employment authorization has been revoked.

 

In late May 2025, DHS was permitted to terminate parole for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV).

 

What Employers Need to Know

E-Verify will no longer provide case alerts for EADs that have been revoked. Instead, employers should generate the Status Change Report upon logging in to E-Verify.

The new Status Change Report allows E-Verify employers to review cases for any employees who presented an EAD for employment verification which has now been revoked by DHS.

DHS has also published EAD Revocation Guidance For E-Verify Employers regarding these changes on E-Verify’s website.

Immigration Policy Essential to Ease U.S. Healthcare Staffing Crisis

Legal immigration pathways remain necessary to meet U.S. healthcare staffing needs for positions throughout the industry, including Registered Nurses, physicians, and nursing aides. A recent article from NPR highlights how Trump administration policies limiting legal pathways for nurses and other healthcare workers compromise healthcare throughout American hospitals, nursing homes and the entire healthcare system.

Citing research analysis by JAMA Network, a consortium of peer-reviewed, general medical and specialty publications, NPR emphasizes the prevalence and essentiality of foreign-born workers in the U.S. healthcare system:

• 25% of physicians in the U.S. were born outside of the U.S.
• Nearly 17% of the total healthcare workforce, or roughly 3.4 million workers, were born outside the U.S.
• 1.1 million healthcare workers in the U.S. are noncitizens without permanent residency in the U.S.

The Trump administration has enacted a series of measures and threatened others to end legal protections for millions of U.S. immigrants, creating uncertainty not only for immigrants, but for their employers. The administration has attempted to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for millions of legally authorized workers in the U.S. and has threatened the status of immigrants, including doctors and nurses, brought to the country illegally as children who receive legal protection through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.

Even prior to President Trump’s reelection, staffing shortages in the U.S. healthcare workforce have restricted access to healthcare in the U.S. A 2024 survey from the American Healthcare Association found that nearly half of nursing homes in the U.S. said they’ve had to limit new admissions because of staffing shortages, and the JAMA Network letter reports that shortages of nurses and other personnel caused two-thirds of hospitals to operate below full capacity in 2023.

If Trump administration policies continue to restrict legal immigration pathways, current healthcare staffing shortages will be further exacerbated, hospitals will face bottlenecks and healthcare facilities will be unable to meet healthcare needs in the U.S. Legal immigration pathways for nurses and healthcare workers are an essential tool in providing healthcare in the U.S.

Healthcare Workforce Coalition meets with Lawmakers on Increasing Nurse Visas

In March 2025, the Healthcare Workforce Coalition issued a press release on their recent meetings on Capitol Hill. The purpose of their meetings was to urge lawmakers to swiftly pass legislation to ease serious US healthcare workforce shortages.

The Healthcare Workforce Coalition is made up of healthcare industry leaders, including Ascend Learning, Brickyard Health, Fisher Titus Medical Center, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, LifeBridge Health, MedPro International, MedStar Health, Meritus Health, PRS Global, and St. Joseph’s University.

Representatives of the Healthcare Workforce Coalition met with the offices of US Senators and Representatives from both parties to urge support for measures to make visas for foreign-educated Registered Nurses and physicians immediately available.

HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE RESILIENCE ACT REINTRODUCED INTO CONGRESS

Musillo Unkenholt is pleased to report that the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act has been reintroduced into Congress.  The HWRA is smart, positive legislation that will increase the supply of nurses and doctors into the US.  These two occupations are among the shortest supplied occupations by US workers. Musillo Unkenholt and the AAIHR have been working closely with these offices for the last two months, assisting congressional staffers draft this legislation. 

If the HWRA becomes law, all nurses and doctors whose visa applications are currently retrogressed immediately become current.  Likewise, any nurse or doctor whose I-140 is filed before 90 days after the expiration of the President’s Emergency Declaration on COVID-19 is also expected to have a retrogression-free visa, although there is an overall quota of 25,000 visas for RNs and 15,000 visas for MDs. The legislation contains language asking the USCIS and Embassies and Consulates to expedite these petitions.  The HWRA admirably contains US worker protections, guaranteeing that no US worker is displaced. 

The HWRA has a strong set of original co-sponsors in the Senate: Sens. Durbin, Coons, Lehay (Ds) and Cornyn, Young, Collins (Rs). This is an impressive bipartisan set of Senators with decades of experience leading legislative initiatives.  Companion legislation will be introduced into the House by U.S. Representatives Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Tom Cole (R-OK-04), Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ-01), and Don Bacon (R-NE-02). 

Specifically, the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act:

* Recaptures unused visas from previous fiscal years for doctors, nurses, and their families

* Exempts these visas from country caps

* Requires employers to attest that immigrants from overseas who receive these visas will not displace an American worker

* Requires the Department of Homeland Security and State Department to expedite the processing of recaptured visas

* Limits the filing period for recaptured visas to 90 days following the termination of the President’s COVID-19 emergency declaration

WHERE THE HWRA STANDS

The HWRA is an important piece of proposed legislation that would allow US patients access to badly needed nurses and doctors.  These two occupations are severely undersupplied by US workers.  As the COVID pandemic moves into a phase where administration of a vaccine, the need for nurses will exponentially grow.  

The HWRA provides a partial answer to this.  The HWRA allows 25,000 fully qualified nurses into the US, who are only waiting to enter the US because of bureaucratic delays and misallocated visa quotas.  The bill similarly allows doctors who have been waiting in the immigration queue for 10+ years to rise to the top of the queue.  

And the HWRA does all this without adding a single visa to the annual quotas.  The HWRA recaptures visas that were authorized by Congress but were not issued because of processing delays at government agencies. 

With 36 bipartisan Senators (out of 100) who have already signed on to co-sponsor the bill, the HWRA is among the most popular bills in the Senate.  In the House of Representatives, the co-sponsor list is approaching 70 members.  As with the Senate, the House list is fully bipartisan with a nearly 50/50 split between Democrats and Republicans. 

Congress is now back in session, after taking most of August off.  It is expected that the Congress will take up additional COVID relief legislation.  The Democrat-controlled House passed a partisan bill in May, which the Republican-controlled Senate has declined to consider.  Now, the Republican-controlled Senate is expected to do the same, and attempt to pass a “skinny” COVID relief bill.  That bill is also not expected to go anywhere. 

After that it is expected that Democrat and Republican leadership will attempt to broker a deal that both parties can hold their nose and agree to endorse.  Any agreement would have to come in the next few weeks.  HWRA advocates are actively seeking to make the HWRA part of any deal. 

The first US presidential debate is set for September 29.  While not a true deadline, September 29 almost serves as a soft deadline for the HWRA, at least until after the US election on November 3.  If no deal is reached by September 29, there is a chance that Congress returns after the election and revisits a COVID relief deal.

 

HWRA ON THE SENATE FLOOR (VIDEO)

Sens. Perdue and Durbin make the case for the Healthcare Worker Resilience Act on the floor of the Senate. 

CLICK HERE (Scroll to 1:36)

HWRA CO-SPONSOR LIST GROWS AND GROWS

Support for the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act continues to grow.  In the Senate, co-sponsorship of S. 3599 has grown to 26 Senators.  Several others will be announced shortly.  Over one-quarter of all Senators in just a month.  Sen. Perdue (R-GA), Sen. Durbin (D-IL) and their teams deserve enormous credit for moving so quickly to garner support.

In the House, HR 6788 now has 29 co-sponsors.  In both chambers, the measure is entirely bipartisan.  Likewise, Rep. Schneider (D-IL) and Rep. Cole (R-OK) and their staffs merit great praise from the community.

Senate list of co-sponsors

House list of co-sponsors

US NURSING SUPPLY IS AT A CRISIS

Nursing supply was already at a tipping point before the COVID-19 crisis.  The US was struggling to satisfy rising demand in the face of a decade-long and acute nursing shortage, which was projected to balloon to 200,000 unfilled positions this year.  The COVID-19 crisis has exasperated an already overwhelming shortage.

The HWRA is legislation that will increase the supply of nurses and doctors into the US.  These two occupations are among the shortest supplied occupations by US workers.

The US nursing crisis will only get worse:

• While the crisis is abating in some areas of the country, a COVID-19 vaccine is not expected for 18 months.  Spikes in infection rates will continue until the vaccine is developed.  
• CDC Director Robert Redfield fears that the virus’s continued assault on our nation next winter could “actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through.” He continued, "and when I've said this to others, they kind of put their head back, they don't understand what I mean." 
• Likewise, during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic some areas in the country did not reach their peaks until the following November.  The second wave was much more deadly than the first wave.
• Infection peaks have not yet happened in most of the country.  Seven of the eight counties with the most infections are all in New York.  While New York appears to have finally hit its peak, that state is an outlier.
• Other countries have not yet reached an infection peak.  As international travel comes back on line, it is expected that US infection rates will re-emerge.
• Maldistribution of healthcare workers means that grave nursing shortages exist in some localities and specialties.  For instance, employers of dialysis nurses have seen their national shortage triple in the just eight weeks.  New York area hospitals are offering pay rates at 2 to 4 times a nurse’s usual salary, in an effort to attract nurses from other areas of the country.
• Nursing schools are forcing rushed graduations in an effort to put nurses immediately onto hospital rosters.  States are even waiving licensing requirements in an effort to get as many healthcare workers to work as quickly as possible.
• We know based on the experience of other countries that the coronavirus is a caregivers' illness. In Italy's Lombardy region, one of the country's hardest-hit, as much as 10 percent of all nurses and doctors have been infected and placed in quarantine.  Italy is now desperately calling on retried healthcare workers to join their fight.

TWENTY HOUSE CO-SPONSORS ON HR 6788 (HWRA)

Everyone has been working hard to drum up support for the HWRA in the Senate.  We have not however forgotten about the House and bill HR 6788.  We are pleased to announce that the bill now has 20 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. We continue to have a bipartisan mix of House members from both the Democrats and Republicans, which is the best way to advance this important legislation.

Rep. Cole, Tom [R-OK-4]*

Rep. Finkenauer, Abby [D-IA-1]*

Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]*   

Rep. Rose, Max [D-NY-11]   

Rep. Woodall, Rob [R-GA-7]  

Rep. Cox, TJ [D-CA-21]  

Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1]   

Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-15]   

Rep. Yoho, Ted S. [R-FL-3]   

Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]   

Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]   

Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-52]   

Rep. Moolenaar, John R. [R-MI-4]   

Rep. Stewart, Chris [R-UT-2]   

Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5]   

Rep. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE-At Large]   

Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice [D-TX-30]   

Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]  

Rep. Hartzler, Vicky [R-MO-4] 

Rep. Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [D-GA]

FOURTEEN SENATE CO-SPONSORS ON HWRA S.3599

Everyone has been working hard behind the scenes to drum up support for the HWRA.  We are pleased to announce that the bill now has 14 co-sponsors in the Senate.  We continue to have a bipartisan mix of Senators from both the Democrats and Republicans, which is the best way to advance this important legislation. In addition to Sen. Perdue (R-GA), we have:

Cosponsor
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]*
Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]*
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]*
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]*
Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]*
Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]

HWRA HOUSE BILL FORMALLY INTRODUCED

Members Brad Schneider (D-IL), Tom Cole (R-OK), Abby Finkenauer (D-IA), and Don Bacon (R-NE) introduced the HWRA into the US House of Representatives on May 8, 2020.  This is the House version of Senate bill S. 3599.  As with the Senate co-sponsors, this is another strong, bipartisan group of Representatives who are doing right by US patients and valuing the contributions of hard-working immigrants.

If enacted, the HWRA would:

-Grant visas to doctors (15,000), nurses (25,000), and their families (unreserved);

-Exempt HWRA visas from the per-country cap;

-Instruct DHS and DOS to prioritize these visa appointments so that these fully-qualified nurses can enter the US as fast as their visa appointments can be scheduled; and

-Mandate that employers attest that these immigrants will not displace an American worker.

HWRA FORMALLY INTRODUCED AND ASSIGNED S.3599

Musillo Unkenholt is pleased to report that the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act has been introduced into the Senate and assigned S. 3599.

The bill is up to six co-sponsors! 

Three Republicans: David Perdue (GA), Todd Young (IN), and John Cornyn (TX).

Three Democrats: Dick Durbin (IL), Chris Coons (DE), and Patrick Leahy (VT).

We expect to continue to grow this strong base of original co-sponsors.  We shortly will be announcing a companion bill in the House, with another impressive group of House members.

You may want to follow us on Facebook or Twitter for breaking news on this important bill.

MU on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusilloUnkenholtLLC/

Chris Musillo on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisMusillo  @ChrisMusillo

HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE RESILIENCE ACT FAQ

Musillo Unkenholt is pleased to report that the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act has been introduced into Congress.  The HWRA is smart, positive legislation that will increasing the supply of nurses and doctors into the US.  These two occupations are among the shortest supplied occupations by US workers.  Musillo Unkenholt and the AAIHR have been working closely with these offices for the last two months, assisting congressional staffers in drafting this legislation.

This is our FAQ about the legislation.

How does this help nurses and doctors currently in retrogression?

If the HWRA becomes law, all nurses and doctors whose visa applications are currently retrogressed immediately become current.  Likewise, any nurse or doctor whose I-140 is filed any time before 90 days after President Trump’s Emergency Declaration on COVID-19 also receives a retrogression-free visa, although there is an overall quota of 25,000 for RNs and 15,000 for MDs. 

What is retrogression?

There are thousands of fully qualified nurses and doctors who have been approved for US green cards but who are not in the US because of “visa retrogression.”  “Visa retrogression” is when a fully qualified visa applicant has to wait for a visa to become available because the EB-3 visa category is oversubscribed.  Right now, fully qualified Philippine and worldwide nurses must wait four years for a visa appointment because of the visa retrogression.  Indian nurses and doctors have a twelve year wait.

This legislation prioritizes fully qualified nurses and doctors by utilizing a portion of the hundreds of thousands of visas that have been authorized by Congress but have gone unused.

Does this legislation add any visas into the quota?

No. This legislation does not add visas to the overall visa quotas.  Likewise, it does not take visas from any other occupation.

The HWRA uses visas that Congress had previously authorized, but had gone unused from 1992-2020. 

Can spouse and children also receive immigrant visas?

Yes.  Spouse and under-21 children obtain visas at the same time as the nurse.  They may also follow to join.  These family members do not count against the overall 25,000 RN and 15,000 MD visa quota.

Are these nurses qualified to work in the US?

Absolutely.  Before any nurse can enter the US, the nurse must have:

(i)          Passed the US nursing licensing exam;

(ii)   Graduated from a university that is equivalent to a US nursing school;

(iii)       Passed an English fluency examination; and

(iv)       A spotless overseas nursing license. 

What protections are there for US labor?

Before the visa is issued, the employer must attest that the foreign trained nurse “has not displaced and will not displace a United States worker.’’

HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE RESILIENCE ACT PROVIDES NEEDED NURSES FOR US PATIENTS

Musillo Unkenholt is pleased to report that the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act will be introduced into Congress next week.  The HWRA is smart, positive legislation that will increase the supply of nurses and doctors into the US.  These two occupations are among the shortest supplied occupations by US workers.  Musillo Unkenholt and the AAIHR have been working closely with these offices for the last two months, assisting congressional staffers draft this legislation.

If the HWRA becomes law, all nurses and doctors whose visa applications are currently retrogressed immediately become current.  Likewise, any nurse or doctor whose I-140 is filed anytime before 90 days after President Trump’s Emergency Declaration on COVID-19 is also expected to have a retrogression-free visa, although there is an overall quota of 25,000 visas for RNs and 15,000 visas for MDs.  The legislation contains language asking the USCIS and Embassies and Consulates to expedite these petitions.  The HWRA admirably contains US worker protections, guaranteeing that no US worker is displaced.

The HWRA has a strong set of original co-sponsors in the Senate: Sens. Perdue (R-GA), Young (R-IN), Durbin (D-IL), and Coons (D-DE).  This is an impressive bipartisan set of Senators with decades of experience leading legislative initiatives. 

In sum, the HWRA, with respect to nurses, does the following:

-Allows all fully-qualified foreign-educated nurses to have their visas granted, if they are currently in the retrogression queue or file their I-140s within ninety days of the President’s Emergency Declaration; and

-Instructs DHS and DOS to prioritize these visa appointments so that these fully-qualified nurses can enter the US as fast as their visa appointments can be scheduled.

FAIRNESS FOR HIGH-SKILLED IMMIGRANTS ACT VOTE TABLED UNTIL 2020

Sen. Lee and Durbin have agreed to postpone S. 386 (Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act) until 2020. It seems that Sen. Lee may not have had all of his Republicans on board with some of the latest amendments.

Musillo Unkenholt's analysis on what is in the current version of Act is on our December 17, 2019 blog post.