Published June 7, 2020
By: Richard Hanus, Esq.
Although the April 20, 2020 Executive Order on Immigration placed significant obstacles to immigration into the U.S., important exceptions were made for healthcare workers. Further, the U.S. Department of State had previously announced its intention to give priority and expedited visa processing for healthcare professionals seeking to enter the U.S. during the Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, the U.S. Department of State on March 26, 2020 issued a directive in the name of quickly increasing our nation’s capacity to better address the pandemic, encouraging eligible classes of medical professionals to reach out to the U.S. consular post processing their visa to seek expedited scheduling of appointments and application review.
In general, our system of immigration laws allows for entry of a variety of healthcare professionals and workers to work and live in the U.S., including physicians, registered nurses, physical therapists and medical technologists. Some of the visa options allow for quicker entry and on temporary visas such as J-1 and H-1B. Others involve longer processing times such as immigrant visas, with this category allowing the worker, along with derivative family members to travel to the U.S. to work and live permanently. In the vast majority of cases, a healthcare worker’s option to obtain a visa to enter and work in the U.S. will start with the petition of an interested healthcare facility or institution looking to fill a temporary or permanent position.
PUBLISHED June 7, 2020– “IMMIGRATION LAW FORUM” Copyright © 2020, By Law Offices of Richard Hanus, Chicago, Illinois