Nurse visa applications likely to decline

Health care worker visa applications fell 4.6% in 2024 compared with 2023, but at 24,733 remain significantly higher than 2018, a report found. The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools report found 51% of applicants hail from the Philippines, with Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana showing growth over the past three years. Nurses comprised 86% of health care worker visa applications. Longer wait times occurred for employment-based visas earlier in 2024, causing health care facilities to alter their hiring strategies. In addition, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ended its two-year practice of approving H-1B applications for some nurses working in specialized roles at Magnet hospitals, causing uncertainty. The report cautions the Trump administration could create additional barriers for foreign-educated nurses seeking U.S. employment. (Becker’s Hospital Review article, 2/11/25)