HR 5924 Updates : The US Emergency Nursing Supply Release Act is HR 5924

· Filed Under In the news, Work in the US

Need updates on the US House Bill HR 5924?

Here is the current status by date:

4/29/2008:

Introduced.

4/29/2008:
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

4/30/2008:

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
4/29/2008:
Referred to House Judiciary

6/3/2008:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

To know more how a bill get approved into a US law, please click here.

What is HR 5924 and how this bill affects the Filipino Nurses?

The bill, called H.R. 5924, or “The Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act,” was introduced to the US House of Representatives on April 29, 2008 by a representative from Florida named Robert Waxler. The title of the bill states : To provide relief for the shortage of nurses in the United States, and for other purposes

This bill seeks to amend the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 to lift the numerical limitations for employment based immigrants (and accompanying family members) for nurses and physical therapists until September 30, 2011, subject to a cap.

This HR 5924 has the following key points affecting Filipino nurses:

1. Lifting of retrogression for Schedule A workers. Any immigrant visa quotas or caps are waived for all visa applications filed for Shortage Occupations (Schedule A occupations: Physical Therapists and Registered Nurses), provided that the I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) is filed prior to September 30, 2011.

2. 20,000 primary beneficiary quota. While there is no retrogression for Schedule A cases filed before September 30, 2011, Consulates may not approve more than 20,000 primary beneficiary visas in any one year. There is no quota for the immediate family members of such beneficiaries.

In summary, the bill basically seeks to allow additional Visas to be set aside for foreign-trained nurses (including Filipino nurses of course) and physical therapists.

This is will partially if not fully solve the reported dwindling demand for Nurses in the US brought about by the US Visa number retrogression. Visa ‘Retrogression’ occurs when a cut-off date established by the US Department of State moves backwards or when visas in a particular category become completely unavailable.

The most immediate impact of retrogression is that the beneficiary of an approved I-140 petition may have to wait for his or her priority date to become current in order to start the adjustment of status process, and consequently, obtain employment authorization in the US. Foreign nationals, like Pinoy nurses, will have to wait for their priority date to become current to receive an immigrant visa. Their visa petitions will be kept on hold until their priority date becomes current.

The HR 5924 updates will be posted to this site from time to time. If you are interested in working in the US,we suggest you subscribe to our feed for more updates as this bill move forward.

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