NFAP: Foriegn Educated Nurses Needed 10/03/07
The always interesting and influential National Foundation for American Policy has released a new study, “Foreign-Educated Nurses: A Small But Important Part of the U.S. Health Workforce.” The study details the vital role that foreign trained nurses have on American healthcare.
Among other findings, the NFAP’s concludes:
- Fears that foreign nurses would overwhelm the U.S. labor market and dissuade hospitals from active recruitment of U.S. nurses are unfounded; and
- The importation of foreign nurses does not harm the salaries of U.S. nurses.
Anyone interested this issue is encouraged to read the full study. The plain conclusion is obvious. Let’s hope that Congress reacts accordingly.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
74 Responses to this article
Thanks evin,my fiance is a us citizen.
I am just wondering if it will be easy for me to work after getting married in the US, like getting SSN and changing of status for the green card.But got an EB 3 application ongoing, I am a British citizen, passed NCLEX and English. Anyone please help.
To HLG
can you approach supreme court to lift this retrogression with evidences of nursing shortage.Already we spent more money for all required documents.We all can support for this effort.
hi HLG,
I agree with Evin, we spent already and some of the nurses are tired of waiting that’s why many of us went to other country except US.
Foreign Nurses maybe fewer in yrs time.
thanks
emmylou
To jing,
what i know is that if u marry a US citizen, it would take 3 years for u to become a citizen whereas for GC holder, u will wait 5 years before u become a citizen. So go for it jing, get married coz i don’t think your GC application would be affected at all.
hopefully senators and congressmen would read the report. but i doubt that they would act accordingly even if they read it. what political benefit they would get for pass a bridge act?
To Ertha:
hi. Thanks for the enlightenment about “recaptured priority date”. I am just hoping my new agnecy/petitioner requested for recap priority date when they filed my new I140 (though my new petition was just approved last sept 24, 07 USCIS texas). I haven’t received yet any notification from the USCIS, or should i really have to receive one from them or it would go straight to my agency? Would you believe my old petition was way back in 2001? Once again, salamat, ertha.
USCIS UPDATE – THIS IS SCARY
SEEMS LIKE 40,000 SCHEDULE A PETITIONS FILED DURING JULY/AUGUST. ( SCHEDULE A ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO CAN BE FILE CONCURRENTLY.)THIS MEANS THAT EVEN IF THERE IS RECAPTURE, NEW FILERS WILL TAKE FOREVER TO GET THEIR GREEN CARDS.
http://www.lewslaw.com/US_Immigratio….htm#10022007a
USCIS Updates [Top]
At a recent AILA Conference, Michael Ayetes (USCIS Associate Director, Operations) announced, that during the months of July – August 2007, USCIS had received approximately 800,000 employment based adjustment applications (I-485s): 40,000 concurrently filed with I-140 petitions, 320,000 stand alone applications, and 400,000 dependent applications.
Of the 140,000 annual employment-based immigrant visas available, second and third preference categories are allocated 57.2%. If most of the employment based cases filed in July-August 2007 were second and third preferences, it could take approximately ten years of allocation to complete all these cases.
Although USCIS has posted on its website that I-485 cases received on or before August 9, 2007 have been entered into the system, a number of attorneys have not yet received receipt notices for cases filed at the end of June and July 2007. Moreover, some cases initially filed in Nebraska and transferred to Texas have now been forwarded to the Vermont or California Service Centers for faster processing of receipts.
USCIS is making every effort to process EAD applications within 90 days of receipt. The processing of Advance Parole applications may be delayed due to the number of cases filed.
A Biometrics notice will be issued even if a visa number is not available at the time.
To K:
It is totally wrong to say that schedule A is the only category to file 140&485 concurrently. I know a lot of NIW do this.
To Jing:
just file marriage green card, you should get it within half year. so easy. then you do whatever you want
Correction
There are other people who can file concurrently too. Still, it will take a long time due to the sheer number of applicants.
Hi i am waiting for consular interview file is already in consular office and PD is Mar 2006
What happen to new fiscal year and new quotas today is already 3rd Oct
If any one can guide
Please Help Help
hi, can someone tell me what the USCIS update about July -Aug 2007 mean for people who have PDs prior to that period? Can anyone of these latter applicants cut in line?
good day..
hello bloggers.. can anybody help me pls… MY EB3 PETITION HAD BEEN APPROVED LAST AUG OF 2006. MY QUERRY IS, IS IT STILL OK FOR ME TO APPLY FOR A TOURIST VISA WHILE AWAITING FOR THE RETROGRESSION TO END? thanks… God Bless and let us all pray always for this retrogression to end..
to rakesh..
how did you know your file is already at the consular office?hope you could share it with me so I could track my file also.many thanks..
To Xathy
Hi I am from India pls introduce yourself
There is a automated voice response system in NVC 0016033340700 and they require your NVC case number or I140 receipt no to give you status of your file
I agree with Henry. Congressmen and congresswomen have no interests pursuing the bridge act for nurses. They are not policy makers, but ballot makers. Nowadays, it is difficult to find a law maker who stands his/her views based on facts. Rather, they spin the facts for their own use. Ballots are all what they care for. Sometimes I wonder, don’t they know what they are doing is wrong because it is such a common sense?? But they say it is merely politics. Since when the word politics became a bad word?
I am trying to stay positive. May God bless us, schedule A nurses.
To Ricky
Yes. You can and I know somebody tried, but you have to prove you do not have the immigration intention anymore. In other words, you have to persuade the visa officer you do not want to work in USA anymore. It is very hard to get it especially after your petition had been approved.
I am also wondering another thing: What could you do under a tourist visa without the new quota for nurses? You are still not able to work although you were in USA.
Anyway, good luck.
Thanks aac* and reflash for the support and positive advice. I am really drained of waiting from this retrogression.My PD was Dec 2005,I believe the recruiter( agency) has also something to do with the delay.My first uscis application to vermont has been denied due to incomplete requirements submitted by the agency sometime in Oct 2004.My visa screen was approved in Feb 2005. I know that by getting married to my fiance’ is the best option to go to USA.Will my recruiter chase me?
Anyone please help.
I am really delighted to hear some positive feedbacks from the intelligent, positive and supportive bloggers here at HLG…Thanks a million. Let’s just hope Retrogression will end soon.
jing
While waiting out the retrogression, why not spend the time productively by working?
Get the latest info on the nursing job market at http://jobsfornurses.blogspot.com/
To Ricky:
I maybe right or wrong. Or maybe xl is right. Your EB application might be of conflict of interest for your tourist visa application. For this reason, they may deny your application. Assuming your tourist visa application is granted, the immigration in the point of entry might hold you for questioning. There is one case here that i know of: she was sent back home to the philippines because her records show that she has pending EB3 application. This could or could not happen to you, its your choice. But the best thing is, to consult a lawyer.
Also, I agree with XL. applying a tourist visa and going here in the US will not be a wise move to do since there is no available visa. You still cannot work until you have proper documents, plus the fact that it may jeopardize your EB application/status. Think carefully.
hi ricky,
I know a few people who have a pending I-140 application who comes here to the US on a tourist visa. If you decide to apply for one, make sure you tell them that u have a pending EB3 application.
If you just plan to tour the states, go ahead and apply. You will not be able to adjust status anyway until the category in the visa bulletin becomes ‘current’.
But as brethren0529 said, …the best thing is, to consult a lawyer.
-Aky
I left my country last year. Many of us are affected by the ongoing retrogression,sadly my babies. My kids are left in the Philippines and I have been waiting for our priority date to be current for a year now. It became current last July, the US embassy-Manila(call centers) instructed us to wait for communication from the US Embassy which apparently the letter arrived 3rd week of July. How do they think I can accomplish all additional docs that they asked for in a week??? Then BOOM!!! they retrogress again!!! Promising visa will be available in the next fiscal year w/c is this Oct. but still, it’s not current. Don’t the consuls have families too? Can they not feel what a parent feels when their kids are left behind, thousand miles away. Much more, when my kids are constantly getting sick since I left them a year ago.. I am trying to hold on to my sanity here. My kids are my dependents, they should have be excluded in retrogression.
hi HLG…i was told that retrogression will be lifted on oct 1 (start of fiscal yr) which made me rushed to the US last july…unfortunately that is not gonna happen…I’m thinking of applying for a student visa bec i’m afraid that my visa might expire even before the retro will be lifted..I was given 6 mos to stay and it will expire on jan 20..when is the best time to apply for a student visa? and how long shd i wait for its approval?
another thing…there are some facilities here which claim that they can petition according to my friends..is that possible? knowing that retro is still going on…what type of visa do they possibly use? i’m planning to talk to them soon but i’m still gathering infos from other people before i actually meet w/ them…i really wanted to work in the hospital more than in the facilities..but the hospitals are not sponsoring right now..if these facilities can really sponsor as they claim i might jump to their offer…even if the contract is 2 or 3 yrs…that’s better for me than spending money for student visa and not generating income…need some expert advise…thanks
What congress do first is to make a law that will stop nurses/PT’s required documents to expired until they decide to pass a law to lift retro…they should not make us milking cow for their new fiscall year budget…
jing
u should take fiacee visa that will take u 6 months to get there and marry Him in the US innstead…then file for adjustment of status that would take only a couple of years…take it from me…
can i apply for H1-C visa considering that my petition (EB3)have been alreeady filed last month with another agency? Is it possible also to bring my family if i am under H1C visa?
thanks so much for the replies…
Hi alexxx,
U.S is having shortage of Nurses . Not PT. There are so many American PT in U.S.
Read again , HLG article.
Cheers!
thank you xl, brethren0529, alan…
for answering my querry.. the reason for my trip is just plain vacation.. I have a sister who is already there and is inviting us to visit her.. of cors, who could say no to an all expense paid vacation trip
im still employed here in the phils, although quite eager to migrate but I dont want to have a bad reputation, if it would cost me, then I’d better cancel the trip.. 
thanks guys for the help.. God bless..
Hi iam a nurse. my agency geting ready to apply 1-140.if retrogression is over,new visas going to issued,can i get through with that?also i heard lot of people apply for 1-140. is that going to effect my catogery. i am from india.please give ur valuable informations abt this, thanks……..GOD BLESS ……
To Ricky:
According to my agency lawyer, one cannot and should not apply for a tourist visa once 1-140 already applied and approved more so if the papers are already in process…
There are many risks to face when you try to enter US on tourist visa with pending immigrant visa application…
A to A (airport to airport) is not a far possiblity…
Good luck.
hi HLG,
i am in pocket 3 now my PD was aug 7 2006… kindly tell me what will happen to my papers when retrogression will be lifted..and what is the probaility thjat retrogression will be lifted this oct…..pls give an idea HLG..
Hi everybody
November Visa bulletin so disappointing
immigrationvoice.org
How is Canadian RN exam?
D. EMPLOYMENT VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE COMING MONTHS
There has been no forward movement of the Employment cut-off dates for November. The reason for this is that it is still too early to see what impact the movement of the cut-off dates toward the end of FY-2007 may have on demand. Depending on the rate of demand being received from Citizenship and Immigration Services offices for adjustment of status cases, some forward movement of dates may be possible for December.
November Visa Bulletin is out. What about those undergoing Consular Processing? It seems that it always depends on those going AOS. It’s seems unfair for those undergoing CP like myself who waited and stood in line for so long…..
November VB is soooo frustrating…
Dont wait for usa ,it is all politics,they dont care for people other then americans,look for another country…..
“” say bye bye to usa”
BE OPTIMISTIC BUT DONT WASTE UR TIME THERE R OTHER COUNTRIES ALSO WHERE WE CAN FULFILL OUR DREAMS..
“This country is confused”
They dont value people.
thanks for the info jpmbrn….
Nov visa bul is out.. one of our hopes down the drain.. anyway, life has to go on… time will come that everybody will have a hurrahhh!!!! a big hurrahhh!!! for HLG… hope youll never stop helping people like us fulfill our dreams.. God bless everybody..
Its disappointing and disgusting to see the Nov visa bulletin.
Dear HLG please try to do something for Schedule A ammendment.
Thanks and more power to HLG
hi ricky,
i am a nurse born in india and work in uk and i applied for a tourist visa to usa last jan and i recieved it without any difficulty. i enquired to embassy by phone that time whether there will be any problem in processing visa for tourist and eb3 same time and they gave me advice as no. So i went ahead and recieved tourist visa and visited usa last march.As long as u declare the truth and have all supporting documents they ask, in my experiance, appyling for visit visa is ok. by the way my priority date is aug 2006.
This is it guys…US doesn’t care on us people who spend to much money just to comply and now it just end up waiting…for our document to be expired? What’s this a joke? US should sue on this for they still not doing anything to atleast stop the expiration date of documents… this is a big…
thanks for the info TOM… my priority date is dec 2005..
life has to move on..if God closes a door He opens a window..this is my belief when i decided to apply for Canada and forget America.
God bless everyone..”life is what we make it” as they say..
they say Canadian Nursing Exam is more difficult than NCLEX. but let’s not chicken out just because of this..there’s no easy way out in any exams. one just have to study hard in order to pass!
HI
HLG
When will bridge Amendment be offered in Senate, the Senate session will end up by nov 2nd week for this year,2007.
what are the possible bills to host this amedment??
HI
CAN ANY ONE GUESS IT WILL MOVE BY 3-4 YEARS(EB-3) IN NEXT MONTH OR CONSEQUENTLY
Number 112
Volume VIII
Washington, D.C.
VISA BULLETIN FOR NOVEMBER 2007
D. EMPLOYMENT VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE COMING MONTHS
There has been no forward movement of the Employment cut-off dates for November. The reason for this is that it is still too early to see what impact the movement of the cut-off dates toward the end of FY-2007 may have on demand. Depending on the rate of demand being received from Citizenship and Immigration Services offices for adjustment of status cases, some forward movement of dates may be possible for December
Hi it’s herry! Well, they must realize that they are humans too bound to sickness and getting old individuals too. They don’t need to be as intelligent as they are now to realize that they’ll be needing nurses assistance too sometime soon in thier life. It’s what we and Maslow call physiologic needs of individual do you agree?
Hi it’s herry! Well they must think that they are humans too. Humans get old and weaker physicaly. They don’t need to be as inteligent as they are now to realize that sooner in thier life they will need nurses for them to take care too.
PREDICTION:
>RETROGRESSION WILL BE LIFTED IN
DEC-2007
>RETROGRESSION WILL BE LIFTED IN
DEC-2007
>RETROGRESSION WILL BE LIFTED IN
DEC-2007
>RETROGRESSION WILL BE LIFTED IN
DEC-2007
>RETROGRESSION WILL BE LIFTED IN
DEC-2007
To Rajeev
Where did u get this information from,is it from reliable source?
THAT WOULD BE A NICE XMAS GIFT TO ALL OF US…
to desperate mom
I guess we have the same problem,I’ts been a year now and my dependents are still back there waiting and hoping that this never ending retrogression will soon be over.it was a bad decision that we made to let them come on a follow to join category.it is now the start of a new fiscal year but seeing the november visa bulletin is just a frustration… at least your dependents received a letter from the embassy last July where mine never received one yet. if you won’t mind,may i know ur PD.
thanks.
Hi Nurses,
We shouldn’t close our doors ONLY for USA. Try other countries,so there’ll be no frustrations…
Yes! i agree with you Herry.They must act now before it’s too late.by the way are u hairy or herry? just joking!
IGME
Kiko07I agree to starlight why do we let ourselves victims of their immigration mess
while they are trying to fix their immigration mess go and explore other countries, earn dollars and enjoy. By the time U.S.A. will re-open their door for overseas nurses then at least you already have gained more experience from other countries. And for those already working in U.S. and other parts of the world just continue to “HAVE A LIFE” after all you are earning dollars already… let nature takes it’s course.Everyone will have their chance to be a part of their Health Care System.
For sure when the time comes, there will be more people using their services due to the long nursing shortage and in this case we have more WORK OPPORTUNITIES Available … I thin’k we better look it this way. rather than begging from the U.S government and end up arguing against each other just for them to lift up retrogression.
How about challenging emnployers in the U.S.A. to extend their client hospitals in other countries and deploy us there for the mean time on the same contract AS no one knows when priority dates to be current and we cannot waste our time waiting and pleading , we responded to their recruitment offers we did not seek for it so we deserve to be given respect.
To all my fellow nurses waiting for a GOOD NEWS….
It’s good news that many of us are still having a lot of time with our friends and relatives for when the time comes we need to pack our things and say “paalam” it won’t be as hard and sad that it should be. The agony of waiting will surpass the loneliness of leaving our homeland, kamag-anak, kaibigan, kapitbahay at mga alagang halaman, hayop etc. etc.
I always believe that GOD knows what our hearts desire…konting pasensya pa…Another good thing is we still have time to check our health because I have a friend diagnosed of big “C” recently and she’s just completed her packet 3…
So, smile ,cheer up and always look and appreciate the blessings that God is giving us. Sometimes, the shortest way of solving a problem is the longest way…. GOD BLESS US ALL!!!!
Anyone here with a thought:
I am in the US using my tourist visa, with not much time to wait til the next available visa becomes current, i am torned of what to do next.
I am done with my nclex and all other exams, with my visa screen, and all that stuffs… My application for extension is yet to come, but just the same i got my retun ticket booked.
My lawyer had not filed my 140 yet since we wanted to apply for it concurently with immigrant visa. But im running out of time. Any thoughts about my case? Enlighten me up….
To brethren0529,
I do want you have a better luck than me.I went to USA by a tourist visa before, but I just had to come back. If you have another way to stay and work there,please let me know.Thanks.
Maybe you can try to change to a student visa or H1C? Somebody suggested me, but I just didn’t want to take that risk.
Anyway, good luck. God bless you.
Hi, I am very confused. I will appreciate if anyone can help or advise. I am an international new graduate nurse educated in the US. I do not have a lisence in my country. I just spoke with my lawyer, she would help me file I-140, but she didn’t mention that she can hold it till we can apply concurrently with I-485. She was not really helpfully giving me any creative solution. She told me she does not think that good news will come in near future. I should hold I-140 until that time when schedule A available again? I do not have experience as a nurse. I can only work with OPT till next July. I am very confused and helpless.
rn/uk,
does anyone here have renew their visa screen before?
How true that you have to sit with all the english exams again!
Pls. help!!!!!!!!!!!
to reilyn,
have you renewed your visa screen already? When was your visa screen issued by the way?
xl: Thanks for your suggestion, i have looked into those possibilities. Student visas require sufficient funds which i am not capable right now since most of it were spent to my nursing needs/requirements. H1C is a visa given to nurses in needy places and is only limited to 500 slots every year. My agency is not processing such. So right now, my only grip of hope is my extension, should it be granted, it will buy me time to wait till the next visa is available, but only in a period of time again. Should it be denied them im going back. Thanks for your advise.
Newnurse: Please clarify:
a> are you a non-us citizen who graduated from a nursing school in the US or
b> you’re a non-us who graduated from schools outside the US?
Anyways here are some thoughts about your problem:
license: I think your home country license is only relevant to your country if you are going to practice there. If not, its fine, you need not to have one. Are you from the philippines? If you are, you check out the PRC rule on reciprocity. It is applicable to foreign educated professionals who wanted to practice in the philippines. THey have guidelines on that. If you are not, check out your country’s department on education, im sure they have ruling on that.
I140/I485: They can be filed concurrently, or they can be filed separately. With the retrogression going on, filing I140 alone will give you priority date. But if you do otherwise, you have to wait til visa (EB3/Schedule A) is current to have your papers all along be processed at the same time.
No one can predict as to when the next visa (schedule A) becomes available. Just hope and pray. Meanwhile, get some experience an improve your craft and skills…
rn/uk: For visa screen renewals, i guess you have to have all your documents valid. Meaning, those that are expired you have to supply CGFNS new ones. I believe english exam is always the one to expire first… IELTS has a validity of 3 yrs, then comes the license etc. Your visa screen expires in 5 years upon issuance. Check your documents validity and expiration so you’ll know which one you’ll supply CGFNS again.. Or call them for best information.
rn/uk
to Brethren 0529
Thanks for the info. By the way have you visited the CGFNS site recently? I have rad in the Q&A section re- Visa screen a statement saying that prior to 2004, visa screens issued doesn’thave signature of the cgfns president nor expiration date or picture but will remain valid. Does it mean those certificate issued before the 2004 has no expiration at all? Pls. advice.
thanks
To brethren0529
Thank you for your comments.
I am a japanese who graduated from entry level nursing school in US. I have OPT expire next July.
If I file I-140 separatly and schedule A gets available, should I file both I-140 and I-485 concurrently again? What will happen the first I-140 which is filed already? I am very confused.
hi newnurse,
if u are in the US and already have a pending I-140(immigrant application) and the visa bulletin becomes current you will only need to file I-485 (adjustment of status). No need to re-submit the I-140.
-aky
The numbers dont seem to make sense. Historical data shows that only an ave. of 50-70K visas are made available ( From unused visas from other countries- so the number is LIMITED) when bridge legislation was used in the past 2 times.
Data has shown that there are more than 300K in cue- mostly adjustment of status. Bridge legislation every 2 years is only a “band aid” to the issue.
Dear HLG,
Thanks for all your efforts. Any developments of pushing Bridge Legislation. It’s high time that this ammendment is attached to some major bills such as Farm Bill. Agjobs amd is also being attached to this bill.
Hope and wish HLG will be sucessful in passing the Bridge.All we have is just a month this year 2007 ie before mid Nov.
Please keep updating us all your efforts +ve or -Ve.
Thanks
HI
HLG/Cris
We are hearing that bridge ammendment will be offered in 2 weeks time ?
Is it true?
what are the odds for the success ?
I’ve heard from a very reliable source that retro will be lifted mid of Nov 2007…
ryelyn
hope your source is reliable enough.. just keep our fingers crossed…
just continue praying neway…
November Visa Bulletin is out! Still the same sad story
To alan,
thank you.
I guess all i need to focus right now, is finding a hospital who will sponsor and file I-140.
Thanks!
hi there,anybody who could give info on how to take Canadian or British nursing exams? im tired of waiting for this retrogression. thanks
Hi Maverick33,
When you come over to the United Kingdom, there’s no nsg.exam. at all. All you need to do is to pass the IELTS, I think the passing band is 7 in all 4 areas/types of the said exam. Then upon your arrival to the country, you’ll undergo up to six months of adaptation program before you can get your nursing license.Contact NMC(Nursing and Midwifery Council) for more details. You also need to get an application pack from them. But I would suggest you pass the IELTS first, then your application will be smooth as it can be. I would also suggest you inquire from the British embassy of your country if they are still issuing working visas nowadays. I’ve heard most of the applicants are possessing student visas instead.
Hope this piece of info. could help you. Good luck.
to starlight,
thanks, that was a big help.I have passed the IELTS already.i have heard about the NMC and i would visit their website to get some more info.thanks again