Hospitals nationwide are urging the Trump administration to reconsider a steep new fee for hiring highly skilled workers from other countries. Many healthcare facilities rely on medical professionals from abroad to fill critical staffing gaps, but the recently introduced $100,000 price tag for the popular H-1B visa is making this nearly impossible—especially for midsize and smaller hospitals.
“We need to stabilize,” said Jamie White, the chief nursing officer at Frederick Health in Maryland. She added, “We have had a continual desire to bring on about 100 nurses for the last three years.”
Like many hospitals across the country, Frederick Health had looked abroad to fill staffing shortages, planning to sponsor up to 45 nurses on H-1B visas. Now, those plans are on hold due to the new $100,000 fee to obtain the visa and hire foreign employees.
“We cannot afford that for even one individual,” White said.
### Administration’s Position on the New Fee
The Trump administration announced the policy change in September, with President Trump stating that it provides an incentive to hire American workers. The administration has since clarified that the fee applies to new applicants living abroad, not to those already in the United States.
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended the policy, calling it a necessary reform. “President Trump promised to put American workers first, and this commonsense action does just that by discouraging companies from spamming the system and driving down American wages,” Rogers said in a recent statement to CBS News.
### Calls for Exemptions Amid National Shortage
Frederick Health and other hospitals are hoping for an exemption for medical workers, given the ongoing national shortage of healthcare professionals.
“I know there’s a lot of concern with bringing people to the United States, and they might be taking U.S. jobs, but we do have a shortage of clinical team and highly skilled workers,” White explained.
The American Hospital Association (AHA) sent a letter to the Trump administration in late September urging exemptions for healthcare personnel. The letter highlighted concerns about the impact on rural and underserved communities.
“Given the staffing and financial challenges our hospitals are already facing, the increased petition fees outlined in the September 19 Proclamation would likely prevent many of them from continuing to recruit essential health care staff and could force a reduction in the services they are able to provide,” the letter stated. It was addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
### Government Response and Next Steps
The Department of Homeland Security did not comment on the letter when contacted by CBS News. According to the executive action, organizations can apply for exemptions, but it remains unclear how many will be granted or whether medical workers will be specifically exempted.
CBS News has reached out to the White House to ask whether the administration is considering exemptions for medical workers and whether there will be any caps on the number of exemptions issued.
As hospitals struggle with staff shortages exacerbated by the pandemic, the outcome of these policy decisions could have significant consequences for healthcare delivery nationwide.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hospitals-trump-h1b-visa-fees/