Healthcare leaders are grappling with new fees imposed on H-1B visas, leading some organizations to pause petitions and seek additional information before deciding how to move forward.
The H-1B visas are a temporary professional worker visa for a specialty occupation that allows recipients to apply for a green card.
President Donald Trump imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions beginning Sept. 21. The proclamation is aimed at combatting “systemic abuse” of the H-1B visa program, but many worry that it will exacerbate workforce shortages.
Eight updates to know:
1. Approximately 13% of dental faculty in the U.S. obtained their degree outside the country, while at least 6% of faculty are nonresident aliens, according to data from the American Dental Association and the American Dental Education Association. A significant number of dental professionals who come to the U.S. with an international dental degree become U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
2. Health systems are taking a range of approaches to the new rules and fees, with some awaiting further guidance and others pausing international recruitment and H-1B work visa sponsorships.
3. A coalition of dental organizations sent a letter to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Oct. 8, explaining the essential role international dental professionals play in clinical care, dental education and research.
4. The groups noted that 37 states permit a dentist educated outside the U.S. to obtain a temporary permit to teach at an accredited dental school, allowing dental schools to graduate the number of dentists required to meet public demand.
5. The letter, signed by 12 dental groups, urged the agency to explore mechanisms, such as clarification, exemption, or alternative approaches, that would avoid exacerbating dental shortages.
6. The American Hospital Association also urged the Trump administration to exempt healthcare workers from the new policy, warning that the fees could worsen clinician shortages and force some hospitals to reduce services, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
7. The White House recently clarified who must pay the visa fee, stating the fee associated with H-1B visa petitions applies only to new applicants outside the U.S. The fee does not apply to previously issued and valid H-1B visas or those submitted before Sept. 21. Employers are also not required to pay the fee for individuals already residing in the U.S., such as international students.
8. The new fees could have outsized consequences for Republican-led states, with Iowa, North Dakota and West Virginia employing the highest percentage of healthcare workers with H-1B visas, Politico reported Oct. 2.
