The H1-C visa is a temporary visa that allows foreign trained nurses to work in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) for a maximum period of three years. To be eligible for the visa, a foreign nurse must have an unrestricted license in his/her home country or be educated in the U.S. and meet and pass the Commission on Graduate of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) certification requirements.
Upon admission to the U.S., the H1-C visa holder must obtain a license in the state of intended employment. The sponsoring employer in a HPSA must obtain an approved attestation meeting certain requirements of the law before filing the H1-C petition on behalf of the foreign nurse. There is quota of 500 H1-C visas avalaible per fiscal year.
Alternatively, a foreign nurse may be eligible for the H1-B visa if he/she is offered a health care position requiring a minimum of Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
Foreign nurses seeking permanent employment in the U.S. may be eligible for the green card (permanent resident status) if: 1) They have a degree or diploma from a nursing school in a foreign country or from a nursing school in the U.S; 2) They have a nursing license in a foreign country or in a state in the U.S.;and 3) have a U.S. employer sponsor.
DISCLAIMER: The information given in this website is intended as general information only and is not a substitute for the services of an immigration attorney in your specific case.