House of Representatives Introduces Nurse Relief Act of 2007 (HR Bill 1358) as part of their version of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR), entitled the STRIVE Act (HR 1645).

 

GO: Nurse Relief Act

What does this mean for Schedule A Occupations?

 

The best case scenario would take nurses and physical therapists out of the employment-based immigrant visa quota system altogether through 2017, enabling the US healthcare industry at large to regulate itself naturally through supply and demand.  As nothing concerning the immigration debate is certain, the Nurse Relief Act could very well be split off from the House Bill and separately considered, with temporary legislation enacted that would immediately allocate between 50-90,000 visas for Schedule A occupations as was done in 2005.

 

It is expected that Congress will debate CIR in May possibly resulting in the passage of different versions in the House and the Senate.  With any luck, we might see light at the end of the tunnel with consensus reached and a compromise Bill ready for the President by August-September.

 

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