Profession
J-1 waivers on the decline
■ An occasional snapshot of current facts and trends in medicine.
Quick View. Posted Jan. 22, 2007
Fewer international medical graduates are in the U.S. on J-1 visas. Fewer IMGs with these visas are applying for waivers that would allow them to stay in the U.S. after their student status ends.
| J-1 visa waiver requests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| By state agencies | By federal agencies | Total | |
| 1995 | 89 | 1,285 | 1,374 |
| 2003 | 983 | 108 | 1,091 |
| 2004 | 965 | 60 | 1,025 |
| 2005 | 956 | 56 | 1,012 |
According to a government study released in November 2006, part of this decline, dropping to 6,200 in 2004-05, from 11,600 in 1996, is attributed to more IMGs seeking less-restrictive H1b visas.
Also, IMGs who complete their training in the U.S. increasingly are going to other countries to work. Gregory Siskind, an immigration attorney in Memphis, Tenn., noted that IMGs are getting good job offers in Europe, India and Singapore, a trend that could hamper recruitment to underserved areas in the U.S. Here's a look at the numbers.
Source: "Data on Use of J-1 Visa Waivers Needed to Better Address Physician Shortages," U.S. Government Accountability Office
