The Paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician Relief Act of 2024 creates a new temporary visa category, called the H-1D visa, to allow foreign emergency medical technicians and paramedics to work in the United States. The bill affects foreign medical professionals seeking employment and U.S. emergency medical services employers facing staffing shortages. To qualify, foreign EMTs and paramedics must have appropriate training, pass licensing exams and background checks within 12 weeks of their intended start date, and be qualified under state law to practice immediately upon arrival. Employers must attest that hiring foreign workers will not harm wages or working conditions for similarly employed U.S. workers, pay prevailing wages, demonstrate recruitment efforts for U.S. workers, and maintain no more than 15 percent of their workforce as foreign visa holders. The visa allows for 3-year stays with possible extension for another 3 years, with a cap of 2,500 new visas per fiscal year and a filing fee up to $250 per employer petition. The law takes effect 180 days after enactment, with the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor required to issue regulations and submit annual reports to Congress on the program's impact and compliance.
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