The situation is this. Long term we should be in fine shape. The STRIVE Act (Comprehensive immigration Reform) has been proposed in the House and may be proposed in the Senate in the near term. The conventional wisdom is that CIR will not be finalized and signed until this fall. However we talked to one senior staffer in DC who told us that “I wouldn’t be so sure.” Her implication was that political pressure may be such that CIR may get done before Congresses’ summer break.

More immediately we are seeking “bridge” legislation (which will likely take the form of a recapture of older, authorized but unused visas) to help the cause between now and whenever CIR is passed. It was with that in mind that we went to Washington.

We’re running into two problems:

First, there is pressure from one Senator to institute a $1500 training fee. Understandably, this is not something that the industry supports. It would serve as an additional cost on top of what is already an excessively costly process.

Second, there is a general tenor in DC that everyone with an immigration issue should wait for CIR. When one group finds out about another’s issue moving down the road, they complain. As a result no one immigration issue is moving.

All of that having been said, there is still a very realistic chance (50%) that there is a bridge/recapture legislation before Congress breaks for the summer. We, along with a lot of others, are continuing to push this issue.

What can you do to help?

If you or any of your clients, friends, or relatives who work for Hospitals. The TIME IS NOW to get them to talk to their Hospital Executive team. We need these Hospital Executives to call on their Senators and let them know a simple message. If Hospital Executives do not call, the Congress will not hear the message.

  1. The nursing and PT shortage in this country is untenable.
  2. Foreign-trained nurses and PTs are all English fluent and pass the identical exams as their US counterparts.
  3. Foreign-trained nurses and PTs (who make up about 15% of all new nurses and PTs) MUST be part of the solution.

If your Hospitals Executives would like help reaching out to your Congressional Representatives, please contact Chris Musillo (cmusillo@hammondlawfirm.com) or the HLG attorney that you ordinarily work with.