America trains these doctors — then forces them to leave
Key takeaways
- After years of training, they planned to move directly into these roles serving underserved communities.
- Instead, they now face an administrative deadline.
- President Trump s new $100,000 H-1B visa fee, up from a few thousand dollars previously, only raises the stakes and puts continued employment out of reach for many hospitals that need them most.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Singer, opinion contributor - 05/21/26 12:30 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Jeffrey A. Singer, opinion contributor - 05/21/26 12:30 PM ET Comments: Link copied Close-up of doctor s stethoscope in a medical setting in Alamo, California, May 17, 2021. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) Hundreds of physicians who completed their training in U.S. hospitals this year may soon be forced to leave the country, because the federal government hasn t processed their paperwork on time, amid new immigration restrictions and slower approvals, even though they have jobs waiting and the skills to fill them.
Many of these doctors entered the U.S. on J-1 visas, which allow foreign medical graduates to complete residency and fellowship training in U.S. hospitals but ordinarily require them to return home for two years afterward. A J-1 visa waiver offers an alternative: Physicians can stay if they agree to work for three years in federally designated shortage areas, typically in primary care fields like psychiatry, internal medicine and pediatrics. After years of training, they planned to move directly into these roles serving underserved communities.
Instead, they now face an administrative deadline. If the government doesn t approve their waiver applications in time, it will force them to leave the country and begin the two-year return requirement. The waiver serves as a bridge that lets them move from training into practice, typically by transitioning directly to H-1B status. Government delays bring that bridge down.