Congress passes visa relief for nurses, considers visa waivers for physicians

On December 6, Congress considered two bills that would extend visa relief to foreign nurses and physicians working in medically underserved areas of the United States. The Senate passed the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Reauthorization Act of 2005 (H.R. 1285), clearing the bill for enactment by the President. The bill extends for three years the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Act of 1999, which provides for up to 500 foreign nurses to come to the U.S. annually on H-1C visas to work in medically underserved areas. The House passed H.R. 1285 on June 20, 2006.

Also, the House passed the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act (H.R. 4997), a bill that would extend for two years a visa waiver program that allows foreign doctors who work in underserved areas to remain in the country after completing their medical training. The Senate is expected to pass H.R. 4997 later this month.