[brian]

LOS ANGELES - New limits on fast-track U.S. work permits for foreign nurses may add to a nursing shortage in American hospitals, health officials say.

Beginning Jan. 1, immigration officials will block a shortcut that allowed the foreign nurses, predominantly from the Philippines, to get fast-track work permits, the State Department announced.

According to a department bulletin issued Wednesday, the government will not process applications filed after January 2002 until further notice. What has been a 60-day wait could now take up to three years or more.

''It's basically going to cut them off,'' said Charles Oppenheim, head of the State Department's immigrant visa control division.

more: http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/mo...s/10394620.htm

[stbernardclub]

this was posted last week...and my answer still stands...good!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rep]

Temporary.........

[Blackbird]

*sigh* Prohibitionism doesn't work. Your own history books should tell you that.

[lavenderli]

Why the government should do that? USA always keeps saying they are the freedom land, why they are not allowed everybody what wants to chase their dreams in this wonderful nation?

[Sheri257]

Originally Posted by lavenderli

Why the government should do that? USA always keeps saying they are the freedom land, why they are not allowed everybody what wants to chase their dreams in this wonderful nation?

I don't understand it either. 66,000 foreign nurses joined the work force in 2001-2003, and it still hasn't made a dent in the shortage.

Since there doesn't seem to be any real issue of foreign nurses hurting U.S. RN's job security, I can only assume it's bigotry.

[SmilingBluEyes]

This got quite ugly last time. I hope we can avoid appearing racist in our desires to help those in our homeland to achieve their dreams to be RN's first, before paying a lot of money to recruit overseas. I know a few laid off people (for years, some of them in the tech/computer industry) who would like to go back to school for their 2nd degree and become nurses, but costs are prohibitive. They spend years working low paying jobs to make ends meet, and nothing exists to help them out. I think it's a shame.

I would like to see subsidies or grants established with monies used to recruit overseas spent to help these people out. I think it makes sense. I am not saying STOP overseas recruitment. I am saying, stem the tide a bit and help out some citizens, too! I am NOT anti-international nurse here, ok? And I don't blame any nurse who comes here to better his or her life; I would do so in the same place. Have a good day everyone.

And color me stupid but why just certain countries are affected by any sort ot moratorium or slow-down is beyond me. Can we have "too many" filipinos or Indians when they are needed? I dont get it.

[fergus51]

I can say there are other agreements made by the US that may affect that Deb. For instance, thanks to NAFTA Canadian nurses can get their work visas at the border once they've done the necessary paperwork.

I think this ruling is short sighted and will do nothing to help us. It doesn't increase our security because these nurses aren't undergoing more screening and it doesn't help our own citizens become nurses. With no benefits I can't see why this is such a good idea....

[Rep]

Originally Posted by SmilingBluEyes

And color me stupid but why just certain countries are affected by any sort ot moratorium or slow-down is beyond me. Can we have "too many" filipinos or Indians when they are needed? I dont get it.

I have said in a related thread that every country is alloted 2800 immigrant visas for EB3 category ( nurses and PTs) every year.

Not all countries meet their quotas(2800 visas) because there are only few nurses who are willing to immigrate to the US hence their visas are not in demand. In countries, like the Philippines, India, where there are lots of nurses willing to immigrate to the US. This situation creates a high demand for visas where the supply is very limited. For the year 2004 alone, the US Embassy in the Philippines has released 3400 visas much higher than the cap of 2800 visas.

Because of this phenomenon the US government has put cut off dates in order to limit the number of visas released. Visas now will be given on first come and first served basis. The NVC ( national visa center ) is processing visas filed before January 2002. This will only address the nurses who are already in the US under working permit who were applying for adjustment of status from working to immigrant visas. This means that in the two or three years time, less nurses will be coming to US from the Philippines, India and China.

Once the backlog is ease, processing time will be faster again.

The retrogression has nothing to do with security as some American nurses insisted. If this is related to security then Saudi Arabia and other mideast countries will be affected not the Phils, Indai and China. We all know where the 9/11 hijackers came from.

I can agree with you that subsidies and grants should be established to help those Americans who to take nursing. But from a corporate mind point of view. That is not profitable. It is easy to spend $10,000 on a foreign nurse who passed the NCLEX than a newbie starting in school. The return of investment is important to the minds of these corporations.

As you see, I am affected by this retrogression, my petition to immigrate was approved last year but I have to wait a year or two before my priority date will become current and visas will be available for me and my family. As you have said before, I am taking this like a grain of salt. Remember?

[SmilingBluEyes]

I thank you for your informative post, Rep. I see things more clearly now. I guess I am a wee bit dense. Anyhow, I hope you don't think I am racist at all, I am far from it. I welcome new nurses from anywhere, but would also like to see some friends who need work be able to enter nursing, if only they had the money.