US Medical Professionals
For those wishing to enter the country on a more long terms basis, the H-1B visa may be used or for those wishing to immigrate to the USA permanently it may be possible to obtain a Permanent Resident Card for lawful permanent residence, or as it is more commonly known a US Green Card. Whilst the methods of immigration discussed here are also explored in depth on the relevant pages of the website, this page will briefly examine the options focussing upon their particular relevance to medical professionals.
How Worldwide Visas Can Help
In America, immigration can be a time-consuming and complicated process due to the wide variety of USA visas and American immigration services available. For those wishing to immigrate to the US on a temporary basis an array of non-immigrant visas for the USA are available with distinct categories for skilled workers religious workers students and many others. In addition, for those who wish to obtain the coveted USA Green Card a range of paths are open based upon employment or family connections. At Global Visas, our immigration consultants can help you to navigate the structure of American visas, helping you to assess which US visa is the most appropriate immigration service for your relocation to America. Visa applications can be managed from temporary B1 business visas and B2 tourist visas through to H1-B visas, L1 visas and longer-term US Green Card routes such as the EB-3 visa and EB-4 visa. As a specialist immigration consultancy, we can offer US immigration lawyer advice and can manage applications for US visas from beginning to end.
Benefits
J1 Visas
The USA immigration options for medical professionals vary considerably in terms of their duration. As discussed elsewhere on the site, J-1 visas for the USA are intended as non-immigrant visas and will not lead to the opportunity to apply for an American Green Card. J1 visas allow medical professionals to relocate to the USA in order to undergo training or to observe, teach, consult or conduct research. As a non-immigrant visa the J-1 bypasses some of the requirements for the longer term H1-B however, candidates must have successfully passed the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in Medical Sciences and have a solid grasp of the English language. In addition, candidates will also be subject to the Home Residence Requirement or HRR, which much like the Training and Work Experience Scheme or TWES in the UK, requires the candidate to remain outside the country at the end of their training for a period of two years.
H1-B Visas
The H1-B visa, as discussed elsewhere on this website functions in a similar manner to a UK work permit and is aimed at skilled migrants relocating to the USA to perform specific pre-arranged roles. Although H1-B visas are classed as non-immigrant visas, a common practice among those wishing to remain in the USA indefinitely is to begin H1-B and US Green Card proceedings at the same time. Since the process of applying for a Green Card can be lengthy, this approach allows the candidate to progress smoothly from the temporary United States visa to permanent residency.
Permanent residence itself offers a wealth of benefits to the successful candidate, affording them many of the rights and privileges enjoyed by US citizens with a few exceptions, most notably the right to vote. Permanent residents may live and work in the USA permanently with no time or work based restrictions placed upon them.
Eligibility Criteria
As discussed J-1 visas for the USA, when applied to medical applicants impose the eligibility criterion of the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in Medical Sciences and require competence in the English language. Requirements for the longer-term H1-B immigration visa go further and require a range of criteria to be fulfilled. Candidates must demonstrate that they have undergone a medical education and that they are licensed to practice in their home country as well the state in which they will practice.
Permanent Residence Requirements
Permanent residency in the USA for medical staff follows the same model as some of the standard employment based routes to US Green Cards in that the system is based upon an offer of employment being in place. In America, visas for employment based immigration place emphasis upon prearranged job offers. This requirement is waived only in the EB-1 visa for priority workers and in some cases the EB-2 visa, both of which, like the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme or HSMP in the UK allow a candidate to immigrate based upon skills and experience.
A United States employer may petition for a foreign national to enter the USA based upon proof that the position offered could not be filled by a resident US physician. This requirement may be set aside in rare cases where an applicant is considered to have exceptional ability in their field, or like the National Interest Waiver (NIW) employed in some EB-2 applications, the presence of the applicant can be shown to be in the interest of the United States. However, in most cases the process of Labour Certification will need to be followed, demonstrating that the applicant is immigrating to the USA because a suitable candidate was not available in America.
Dependants
Whilst spouse immigration and dependent immigration is permitted on all of the visa services outlined above, the exact terms vary between routes. Dependents of J1 visa holders will receive a US J-2 visa which will be valid for the same duration as the principle holder's permit. Holders of USA J-2 visas are permitted to study in the USA and to undertake employment, however, holders will be subject to the same conditions as the principle visa holder.
Dependents of applicants in possession of an H1 visa will be granted an H-4 visa which allows them to study in America although working is not permitted. For dependents of those achieving permanent resident status to live in the USA, the same rights and privileges as the principle applicant would be granted.