The NURSE Visa Act would expand the number of temporary work visas available for foreign nurses to address staffing shortages in the United States. Currently, the law limits such visas to 500 per state annually; this bill increases that cap to 20,000 total visas per fiscal year, prioritizing nurses for work in areas designated as having nursing shortages by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. The legislation also requires healthcare facilities hiring foreign nurses to maintain a documented policy on provider-to-patient staffing ratios. The bill applies to H-1C visa petitions and takes effect upon enactment, with the Departments of Health and Human Services and State required to issue implementing regulations within one year. This change would primarily affect hospitals and healthcare systems struggling to fill nursing positions and foreign-trained nurses seeking employment in the U.S.
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