Entry Blocked or Delayed for Years Due to Inaction in Congress on Green Cards and Lack of Appropriate Temporary Visa Category

Stuart Anderson, Executive Director of the National Foundation for American Policy, has provided us with yet another insightful brief this month (see 9/10/07 NewsFLASH at www.immigrationsolution.net on Nurse Shortages) focusing on foreign-educated nurses and the vital role they play in relieving shortages at many U.S. hospitals. Among the study's findings:

• Fears that foreign nurses would overwhelm the U.S. labor market, are unfounded. Foreign nurses represent only 3.7% of the U.S. registered nurse workforce, well below New Zealand (23%), the United Kingdom (8%), Ireland (8% and Canada (6%);
• Contrary to concerns that foreign nurses would harm the salaries of U.S nurses, it has been found that they are not paid less than U.S. nurses;
• Approximately 90,000 foreign-educated nurses work in the USA. California ranks first in state of employment for foreign nurses, followed by Florida, New York, Texas, New Jersey and Illinois
• Many foreign-educated nurses attend nursing school intending to work abroad and help their families.

We link to the NFAP Press Release: http://www.nfap.com/pdf/071003pr.pdf  and to the October 3, 2007 Policy Brief: http://www.nfap.com/pdf/071003nurses.pdf.

In conclusion, we close with the message to Congress at the end of the brief:

"Foreign-educated nurses play a vital role in relieving nursing shortages at many hospitals. However, the entry of most foreign nurses is currently blocked or delayed for years due to Congress' failure to increase immigration quotas or establish an appropriate temporary visa category for nurses. . . The medical literature shows nursing shortages contribute to death and illness for patients at hospitals. Increasing faculty at nursing schools to boost domestic supply remains a key long-term solution. While foreign-educated nurses are only one solution to relieving the nursing shortage, research and interviews with nurse administrators find relief from current strict immigration quotas would help patients, hospitals and the nation as a whole."