Valley Baptist Medical Center, Harlingen, Texas

suzanne4, RN · Jun 20, 2008

Your friend needs to be aware of the fact that the H1-C visa is only valid until 2010 and we do not think that it is going to be renewed. If not, she will have to leave the country.

Yes, she needs to have the VSC in hand before they could even petition her, but not sure why they are asking for a letter of employment from where she is currently working for the sponsorship process, that is not a requirement for it.

The other issue is just because a hospital is willing to sponsor her for this visa, it does not automatically mean that there is one available for her, there are only 500 total at any one time, and not sure what the status will be by the time that she gets things done.

RN11 · Jun 20, 2008

Thank you for your insight. :specs:

I guess they're just making sure that my friend has hospital experience that's why they're asking for the certificate of employment. Agencies nowadays are particular with job experience. It's obviously an effect of the current imbalance in the supply and demand for nurses. They won't settle for newly grads or those without enough experience yet.

So you're saying that even if her papers would be processed and eventually land a job in the said hospital, she would just be staying there for more or less a year? And if the US government asks her to leave the country due to visa validity, is it part of the sponsoring health care institution's responsibility to shoulder her flight home? Coz if all the money she earned while working there would just be spent on daily expenses and airfare, all her efforts would be put to waste right? She would not be of help to her family either.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 20, 2008

Unless it was in the contract I doubt they will pay for her way home if she has to

aga922 · Nov 7, 2008

Hi! Has anyone of you heard of the hospital Valley Baptist Medical Center located at Harlingen, Texas? I was able to read a thread here mentioning that this hospital is included in the list of hospitals issuing a H1C type of visa, which is only issued by areas who have severe shortage of nurses and this shortage was due to unsafe working environment.
I just want to inquire if you have more information regarding the aforementioned health care institution because a friend of mine was interviewed by an employer from that hospital and they were offering her a non-immigrant type of working visa. I assumed it was a H1C visa, since I was also able to research in this site that H1B visas are not for people from the nursing profession. My friend passed her NCLEX and IELTS already and is currently working in a tertiary hospital. The employer told her to process her visa screen certificate first and ask for a certificate of employment from her current employer before they could process her employment, which would take 6 months. They will not pay/reimburse for the visa screen or any exam (e.g. nclex, ielts). They will only process my friend's employment and pay for the plane ticket.
I'm really worried for her. I'm also a nurse but despite the current conditions in our country, I'm willing to go through the
long and legal process than to do shortcuts coz that's what majority of my senior nurses and relatives from the US advice me to do.
Do you think it's safe for my friend to accept this offer? How unsafe are the working conditions in Harlingen, Texas? Hospitals in the Philippines, especially government hospitals, have really high nurse-patient ratios so I think she's equipped to handle that, but what if the "unsafe environment" that they are talking about also includes the residential areas?

hi, im interested in applying for an h1c visa. Do you know the recruiter or the agency that recruited your friend for valley baptist medical center in harlingen, texas? Pls email me, many tnx in advance.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Nov 7, 2008

hi, im interested in applying for an h1c visa. Do you know the recruiter or the agency that recruited your friend for valley baptist medical center in harlingen, texas? Pls email me, many tnx in advance.

H1C visa has just over 12 months left on it and then it expires with the likelihood on extension poor. (Due for review in 2010 and only 14 hospitals have the status to use it and many no longer use it)

aga922 · Nov 8, 2008

Hi, I know that it will expire on 2010. I just want to ask the recruiter itself regarding this visa that's why I am asking for the name of the recruiter. Hope you will email me the name or contact # of the recruiter for Valley Baptist Medical center. Tnx

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Nov 8, 2008

I just went on their website the nursing positions posted are for experienced nurses only. Most require years of experience and certifications. There are no new graduate positions available.

aga922 · Nov 8, 2008

thank you for the info, but do you know the recruiters name? tnx

Silverdragon102, BSN · Nov 8, 2008

If you contact the hospital they should be able to tell you who the recruiter is they deal with. Saying that I can not understand why you want to apply for a visa that is due to expire in just over 12 months and would probably mean you have to leave the US because you will not be able to adjust your visa to another type

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Nov 8, 2008

thank you for the info, but do you know the recruiters name? tnx

All the information you need is the website which is quite extensive. My experience with recruiters is that they are your best friend when their is a position they are trying to fill. But will ignore you when their is nothing to offer. Unless you are an experience nurse their is nothing you can offer them.

brent0709rn · Jul 30, 2009

I work in VBMC and i came in through H1c. I have been here since November of 2008.My visa is valid until Feb 2011. VBMC was able to petition 30 nurses last 2008 and all of us are here. Its not bad here at all. Harlingen is a small, quiet city in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. VBMC is a 600 bed hospital and working conditions have been good. I work in the Progressive Cardiac Care Unit and our nurse to patient ration was 1:6 or 7. And now its better, 1:4 or 5, after we came. I am paid $23 an hour plus differentials (I work nights) and I think its ok for the Cost of Living here. In my opinion the city is quite peaceful too. Not really that much crime. I think we are really lucky to be here..I mean among all the other hospitals that are able to petition through H1c and the area that they are in.

I do have a pending I140 petition with a hospital in Florida with a priority date of Jan 2006. VBMC is also willing to petition us with an immigrant visa. My question is, will they be able to get the priority from my previous petition? Thats what their lawyers are telling us, but I doubt that. Any thoughts on this? And its true even the lawyers are telling us that it there is really a possibility that we will go home if our priority dates will not be current.

Well, theres always Canada... =)