The United States has basically halted the issuance of EB-3 visas until the end of the fiscal year, as announced by the country’s Bureau of Consular Affairs in its July Visa Bulletin.
Such a move, which also affects foreign nurse applicants, was taken due to the high request and number of uses in this scheme, VisaGuide.World reports.
As cited by the Hill newspaper, the agency revealed that almost all available green card places for nurses have been filled. Only those who applied before December 1, 2024, would be entitled to process their visa interviews, according to the same source.
Given the continued high demand and number of uses in this category, it will likely be necessary to either further retrogress the final action date or make the category “Unavailable” in August. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.
Health Representatives Concerned Over Increasing Nurse Shortage Across US
However, this move was not well received by the health representatives, considering that the country is facing a shortage of nurses.
Prior to this announcement, federal healthcare governors completed a personnel regulation under which American nursing homes would be required to employ more than 20,000 new registered nurses over five years.
In a recent statement, the American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment (AAIHR) has called for “immediate congressional action” following the State Department announcement.
AAIHR President Patty Jeffrey said that such a move comes amid a growing nurse shortage across the US while noting the importance of foreign nurses to the healthcare sector in the country.
Until we can correct capacity issues that force nursing schools to reject thousands of qualified applicants annually, international nurses will remain essential to safe nurse staffing. This latest visa freeze halts the flow of qualified international nurses when American hospitals need them most, and the only way to correct it is through congressional action.
Foreign Nurses Made Up Nearly 15% of Nursing Workforce in US
Foreign nurses, which can enter the US with an EB-3 visa, represent nearly 15 percent of the nursing workforce in the country.
As further reported by the Hill, the immigration quota in the US has remained unchanged since 1990, regardless of economic and population increase. EB-3 visas comprise 28.6 percent of all work-based visas, which is nearly 40,000 for each financial year.