Top American Senators Introduce Bill to Phase Out Country Quotas for Green Cards

Washington: In a significant move, top American senators have announced the introduction of legislation to phase out country quotas for green cards and capture the unused visas from the annual Green Card quota for doctors and nurses. The healthcare sector in the US is facing a significant shortage of workforce, and this legislation aims to address this issue.

Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act

The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, led by Senator Kevin Cramer and Dick Durbin, makes a limited number of green cards available to qualified immigrant doctors and nurses to address critical healthcare workforce shortages. The bill allows the "recapture" of green cards already authorized by Congress but unused in previous years, allotting up to 25,000 immigrant visas for nurses and up to 15,000 immigrant visas for physicians. It is important to note that the bill does not authorize any new visas.

Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act

In addition to the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, Senator Cramer and John Hickenlooper will reintroduce the Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act. This legislation aims to allow American employers to focus on hiring immigrants based on their merit, not their birthplace. The EAGLE Act would phase out the seven percent per-country limit on employment-based immigrant visas and raise the seven percent per-country limit on family-sponsored visas to 15 percent.

Addressing Backlogs and Prioritizing American Workers

The EAGLE Act seeks to address the backlog for those who have been waiting the longest for green cards. By transitioning the allocation of employment-based green cards to a first-come, first-served application process, the bill aims to make the system more merit-based. Additionally, it ensures that American workers are made the top priority for hiring by all US companies, preventing foreign workers from undercutting American workers for US jobs.

Support from Stakeholders

The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act and the EAGLE Act have garnered support from several stakeholders. The North Dakota Hospital Association and the North Dakota Long Term Care Association expressed their support for the legislation, highlighting the need to address healthcare workforce shortages and provide flexibility in hiring highly trained international nurses and physicians.

Bipartisan Support

The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act is supported by a bipartisan group of senators, including Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Mike Rounds, Joni Ernst, Todd Young, Roger Wicker, John Thune, Chris Coons, Kyrsten Sinema, Ron Wyden, Cory Booker, Tom Carper, Alex Padilla, and Tammy Duckworth. Their support reflects the urgent need to address the healthcare workforce shortage and the importance of merit-based immigration policies.

The introduction of the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act and the EAGLE Act marks a significant step towards addressing the healthcare workforce shortage in the US and reforming the green card allocation system. By phasing out country quotas, recapturing unused visas, and prioritizing merit-based hiring, these bills aim to improve the healthcare system and ensure that American workers are given the first priority. The support from stakeholders and bipartisan senators reflects the importance of these legislative efforts in addressing the challenges faced by the healthcare sector and the need for a more equitable and efficient immigration system.