Delays in visa program threaten placement of hundreds of doctors in underserved areas
Summary
Hundreds of foreign doctors finishing their medical training in the U.S. face possible forced departure due to slow processing of their visa waiver applications. These waivers allow them to stay and work in underserved areas, but delays could leave many communities without needed doctors.Key Facts
- The visa waiver program lets foreign doctors switch from training visas to temporary work visas if they agree to work in underserved locations for three years.
- The program is managed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
- There is currently a large backlog of waiver applications causing delays not seen in recent years.
- If applications aren’t approved by July 30, doctors might have to leave the U.S.
- Employers would then need to pay a $100,000 fee to hire these doctors under a different visa, which many hospitals cannot afford.
- The backlog affects hundreds of physicians who trained in the U.S. and were planning to work in rural or disadvantaged communities.
- HHS says it is working on improving the process and reviewing applications but has not explained the cause of delays.
- The delay could worsen doctor shortages in many underserved areas, negatively impacting patient care.
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