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.
