House Approves Legislation Allowing Foreign Nurses to Serve in Shortage Areas

The House of Representatives approved a bill, H.R. 1933, to help hospitals in inner-city neighborhoods and rural areas that have difficulty attracting nurses, according to a Committee on the Judiciary release.

In 1999, Congress passed the "Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Act" to help hospitals in inner-city neighborhoods and some hospitals in rural areas. It created a new H-1C temporary registered nurse visa program with 500 visas available each year, allowing nurses to stay for three years. The visa program expired in Dec. 2009.

H.R. 1933 reauthorizes the H-1C temporary visa program that allows foreign nurses to come to the U.S. to work in health professional shortage areas for an additional three years. The bill is sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas).

Read the government news release about H.R. 1933 reauthorization of the H-1C temporary visa program.

Related Articles on Nursing Shortages:

Nursing Enrollment Rises at Many Levels; More Men Entering Field
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Nursing Provider Shortage Alleviated by Recession

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