International medical graduates (IMGs) who seek entry into U.S. graduate medical education programs must obtain a visa that permits clinical training to provide medical services. Nearly one-fourth of the active U.S. physician workforce are foreign graduates and IMGs. Nonimmigrant or immigrant visas are needed for IMG physicians and healthcare professionals to legally practice in the United States when they are not U.S. citizens.
The proportion of residency programs sponsoring H-1B visas for training has gradually decreased in the last few years because the immigration requirements are multistep, costly for the employer and often complicated with bureaucratic immigration nuances. To support the healthcare workforce, the ACR supports the HWRA. This legislation would initiate a one-time recapture of up to 40,000 unused employment-based visas—25,000 for foreign-born nurses and 15,000 for foreign-born physicians—so they can strengthen and provide stability to the U.S. healthcare system. This temporary recapture period concludes three years after the date of enactment.
Foreign-born physicians are an invaluable component of the U.S. healthcare system, comprising nearly 1 in 5 of active U.S. physicians and caring for some of the most vulnerable patient populations. In fact, in the past 20 years, more than 20,000 J-1 IMGs have gone on to serve in underserved areas, and 24.2% of active physicians across the nation were international medical graduates. These realities necessitate that Congress continue to advance policies that help foreign-born physicians treat U.S. patients.
