Immigration Policy Essential to Ease U.S. Healthcare Staffing Crisis

Legal immigration pathways remain necessary to meet U.S. healthcare staffing needs for positions throughout the industry, including Registered Nurses, physicians, and nursing aides. A recent article from NPR highlights how Trump administration policies limiting legal pathways for nurses and other healthcare workers compromise healthcare throughout American hospitals, nursing homes and the entire healthcare system.

Citing research analysis by JAMA Network, a consortium of peer-reviewed, general medical and specialty publications, NPR emphasizes the prevalence and essentiality of foreign-born workers in the U.S. healthcare system:

• 25% of physicians in the U.S. were born outside of the U.S.
• Nearly 17% of the total healthcare workforce, or roughly 3.4 million workers, were born outside the U.S.
• 1.1 million healthcare workers in the U.S. are noncitizens without permanent residency in the U.S.

The Trump administration has enacted a series of measures and threatened others to end legal protections for millions of U.S. immigrants, creating uncertainty not only for immigrants, but for their employers. The administration has attempted to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for millions of legally authorized workers in the U.S. and has threatened the status of immigrants, including doctors and nurses, brought to the country illegally as children who receive legal protection through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.

Even prior to President Trump’s reelection, staffing shortages in the U.S. healthcare workforce have restricted access to healthcare in the U.S. A 2024 survey from the American Healthcare Association found that nearly half of nursing homes in the U.S. said they’ve had to limit new admissions because of staffing shortages, and the JAMA Network letter reports that shortages of nurses and other personnel caused two-thirds of hospitals to operate below full capacity in 2023.

If Trump administration policies continue to restrict legal immigration pathways, current healthcare staffing shortages will be further exacerbated, hospitals will face bottlenecks and healthcare facilities will be unable to meet healthcare needs in the U.S. Legal immigration pathways for nurses and healthcare workers are an essential tool in providing healthcare in the U.S.

F-1 Visa Alert

On April 9, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced it will begin reviewing social media posts of foreign students, specifically focusing on antisemitic content. At the same time, there have been increasing reports of F-1 student visa revocations.  We understand this may be concerning, and we want to share guidance to help you stay informed and compliant. Please read the following carefully.

What Does It Mean if My Visa is Revoked?

If your visa is revoked, you should receive an official notice from the U.S. Department of State. Remember, visa revocation affects your ability to enter the U.S., not your ability to stay here.  Your immigration status (your right to live and work in the U.S.) is based on your SEVIS record and I-94 card, which are handled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Do I Need to Leave the U.S. if My Visa is Revoked?

Not necessarily. As long as your SEVIS record and I-94 remain valid, you can legally live and work in the U.S. even if your visa has been revoked. However, be aware that ICE may begin deportation proceedings in some cases. If that happens, your SEVIS record will be terminated, and you will receive a Notice to Appear (NTA) with a date, time, and location for your immigration court hearing.

What Happens if My SEVIS Record is Terminated? 

• You immediately lose F-1 status and work authorization.
• You may no longer remain in the U.S. legally.
• Any F-2 dependents also lose their immigration status.

You should be notified by your Designated School Official (DSO), but we strongly recommend checking your SEVIS record regularly to catch any changes early.

What You Should Do Now:

1. Check your SEVIS record regularly.  Make sure your SEVIS record stays active and that you are meeting all F-1 requirements (enrollment, attendance, tuition payments, etc.). 

2. Review your social media activity. Avoid content that could be interpreted as antisemitic or critical of the U.S. or the Trump Administration. Assume your accounts will be reviewed carefully. 

3. Consider your criminal history. Students with any arrest record—no matter how minor or whether charges were dropped—may face increased risk under current immigration enforcement practices.

4. Know your legal options. If your SEVIS record has been terminated, there are lawsuits challenging the government's procedure of SEVIS termination. If you are interested in joining one of these lawsuits, please contact your MU attorney.

If you have specific questions or concerns about your situation, do not hesitate to reach out to your MU attorney directly.

May 2025 Visa Bulletin: Only EB-3 India Moves Forward

The Department of State has just issued the May 2025 Visa Bulletin. This blog post analyzes this month's Visa Bulletin.

Visa Bulletin

Table A: Final Action Dates -- Applications with these priority dates or earlier may be approved for their Green Card (Permanent Residency card) or Immigrant Visa appointment:

Table B: Dates for Filing

USCIS will continue to use the Table A Final Action Dates chart for I-485 employment-based filings in May 2025. See: USCIS Visa Bulletin Dates

MU Law Analysis

The only category to move forward is EB-3 India, with progress of 2 weeks.

All other categories made no progress in any chargeability area.

Fiscal Year 2026 H-1B CAP Lottery Completed

USCIS announced it has received enough electronic registrations for unique beneficiaries during the H-1B CAP registration lottery to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2026 H-1B CAP of 85,000 beneficiaries.

The H-1B CAP lottery was open to employees filling positions requiring Bachelor’s degrees, which may include healthcare occupations such as Medical Technologists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and even Registered Nurses.

Musillo Unkenholt has begun notifying clients who are H-1B lottery winners that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition.

Selected registrations may be filed from April 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025.

If less than 85,000 CAP petitions are filed during the 90-day filing window, USCIS may issue additional selections in a subsequent round of the lottery. Individuals whose registrations are listed in the Registrant’s online account as “Submitted” are not yet rejected in the CAP but are eligible to be chosen in a later round of the lottery.

“Winning” the lottery does not guarantee an H-1B approval. Petitioners filing for selected beneficiaries based on their valid registration must still submit evidence or otherwise establish eligibility for petition approval.

Healthcare Workforce Coalition meets with Lawmakers on Increasing Nurse Visas

In March 2025, the Healthcare Workforce Coalition issued a press release on their recent meetings on Capitol Hill. The purpose of their meetings was to urge lawmakers to swiftly pass legislation to ease serious US healthcare workforce shortages.

The Healthcare Workforce Coalition is made up of healthcare industry leaders, including Ascend Learning, Brickyard Health, Fisher Titus Medical Center, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, LifeBridge Health, MedPro International, MedStar Health, Meritus Health, PRS Global, and St. Joseph’s University.

Representatives of the Healthcare Workforce Coalition met with the offices of US Senators and Representatives from both parties to urge support for measures to make visas for foreign-educated Registered Nurses and physicians immediately available.

CGFNS International reports nurse migration rates to the U.S. remained high in 2024

CGFNS International released a report last month concluding that nurse migration to the US remains high as healthcare systems continue to look to foreign-educated nurses to address persistent staffing shortages.

In 2024, CGFNS received 24,733 VisaScreen applications, down 4.6% from 2023, but still nearly 200% above pre-pandemic fiscal year 2018.

Allocation by country and visa type

Candidates with credentials from the Philippines accounted for more than 51% of issued VisaScreen certificates in 2024, followed by Canada with 8%, and Kenya with 6.5%.

76% of visa screen certificates issued by CGFNS were issued to candidates seeking permanent green cards, followed by candidates seeking TN visas (12%) and H-1Bs (11%).

According to the President and CEO of CGFNS, the report’s findings confirm that U.S. healthcare systems, “continue to depend on nurse immigrants to address persistent staffing shortages.”

Looking ahead

The report states that between 6% and 16% of registered nurses (RNs) in the U.S. are foreign-born, representing between 258,000 and 688,000 migrant nurses as of 2023. 

High immigration rates in the face of barriers such as visa retrogression highlight the continued appeal of nurse migration as a pathway for career advancement and economic opportunity.

However, visa retrogression persists, alongside new, likely stricter, immigration policies from the Trump Administration.

The report notes that while an increase in visa wait times may strain direct-hire models, staffing agencies can more effectively absorb wait periods, making staffing and recruitment even more essential for nursing immigration to the US in the coming years.

April 2025 Visa Bulletin: Finally - Movement Forward for ALL EB-2 and EB-3 Categories

The Department of State has just issued the April 2025 Visa Bulletin. This blog post analyzes this month's Visa Bulletin.

Visa Bulletin

Table A: Final Action Dates -- Applications with these priority dates or earlier may be approved for their Green Card (Permanent Residency card) or Immigrant Visa appointment:

Table B: Dates for Filing

USCIS will continue to use the Table A Final Action Dates chart for I-485 employment-based filings in April 2025. See: USCIS Visa Bulletin Dates

MU Law Analysis

EB-2 China progressed 5 months, the most progress for any category since the start of the fiscal year in October 2024.

EB-3 Philippines and Rest of World moved forward 1 month, the most progress in that category since the start of the fiscal year in October 2024.

EB-2: EB-2 categories in all chargeability areas made progress forward in April 2025:

• EB-2 China: 5 months
• EB-2 India: 1 month
• EB-2 Rest of World, Mexico and the Philippines: 5 weeks

EB-3: EB-3 categories in all chargeability areas made progress forward in April 2025:

• EB-3 China: 3 months
• EB-3 India: 2 months
• EB-3 Rest of World, Mexico and the Philippines: 1 month

EB-1: EB-1 categories made no progress in any chargeability area. Rest of World, Mexico and the Philippines remain current in the EB-1 category.

FY 2026 H-1B CAP Lottery

The fiscal year 2026 (March 2025) H-1B cap registration period will open this week, at noon eastern on March 7, 2025 and run through noon eastern on March 24, 2025.

H-1B CAP registrations are submitted electronically via USCIS’s website. H-1B CAP lottery winners are then eligible to submit an H-1B petition between April 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025.

The H-1B CAP lottery is open to employees filling positions requiring Bachelor’s degrees, which may include healthcare occupations such as Medical Technologists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and even Registered Nurses.

This year, USCIS has increased its CAP registration fee from $10 to $215 per registration.

Further information on this year’s CAP lottery can be found on USCIS's H-1B Electronic Registration Process website. 

CGFNS International to Change Its Name to TruMerit™

The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) announced it will change its name to TruMerit™.

Immigration regulations require that when filing an immigration petition for certain healthcare occupations, including Registered Nurses, the Petitioner must include a healthcare worker’s certificate (sometimes called a Visa Screen) from an authorized credentialing organization, such as CGFNS.

CGFNS indicated the name change will be the centerpiece of a comprehensive rebranding of the organization, which will also involve changes to its website, customer portals, credentials and certificates, and social media channels. The rebranding effort will begin rolling out in mid-March and will be completed by the summer.

MARCH 2025 VISA BULLETIN: Movement Forward for all EB-2 plus EB-3 China and India

The Department of State has just issued the March 2025 Visa Bulletin. This blog post analyzes this month's Visa Bulletin.

Visa Bulletin

Table A: Final Action Dates -- Applications with these priority dates or earlier may be approved for their Green Card (Permanent Residency card) or Immigrant Visa appointment:

Table B: Dates for Filing

In keeping with February 2025, USCIS will continue to use the Table A Final Action Dates chart for I-485 employment-based filings in March 2025. See: USCIS Visa Bulletin Dates

MU Law Analysis

EB-2 All Other, China, India, Mexico, and Philippines: EB-2 categories in all chargeability areas made moderate progress forward in March 2025:

• EB-2 Rest of World, India, Mexico and the Philippines: 6 weeks
• EB-2 China: 2 weeks

EB-3 China and India: EB-3 categories for China and India moved forward 4 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively. No other chargeability areas moved forward in the EB-3 category.

EB-1: EB-1 categories made no progress in any chargeability area.