President Bush signed in to law legislation extending for two years the Conrad 30 J-1 waiver program. The legislation's bill number is H.R. 4997 and has the following official citation:

H.R. 4997 / Public Law 109‑477

Physicians for Underserved Areas Act (Jan. 12, 2007; 120 Stat. 3572; 1 page)

If you would like more information on Conrad 30 programs, go to http://www.visalaw.com/IMG/state30.html.

A reporter for one of the nation's best known newspapers is doing a story on how communities rely on foreign physicians and how many towns struggle to keep foreign physicians who often are drawn to bigger metro areas. If you know physicians and community members who might be good people to interview, let me know by emailing me at gsiskind@visalaw.com.

USCIS Associate Director of Domestic Operations Michael Aytes has advised USCIS offices that the H-1C nurse visa program has been extended for three more years.

The Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Act of 1999 (NRDAA) established the H-1C Program to reduce the shortage of qualified nurses in health professional shortage areas. NRDAA allowed qualified hospitals to employ temporary foreign workers as registered nurses for up to three years under the H-1C visas. NRDAA expired on June 13, 2005.

On December 20, 2006, with the enactment of Pub.L. 109-423, Congress reauthorized the H-1C program for an additional three years. The elements of the program are unaffected. The provisions take effect immediately and the revisions to the regulations will follow. The reauthorization expires on December 20, 2009.

The Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates, the organization that administers the J-1 program for foreign physicians coming for residency programs, has announced the creation of a new program designed to connect doctors planning on coming to train in the US with other international physicians who have successfully entered or completed US training.

According to ECFMG

ECFMG is pleased to announce a new resource for international medical graduates (IMGs) entering graduate medical education (GME) in the United States. The IMG Advisors Network (IAN) will allow IMGs who are applying to ECFMG for J-1 Exchange Visitor visa sponsorship to communicate directly with IMGs who have successfully entered or completed U.S. GME training. The purpose of this network is to connect IMGs entering U.S. GME with advisors who may be able answer many of their questions about living and working in the United States.

Qualified IMGs volunteering to serve as advisors will be listed in an on-line IAN database by name, medical specialty, U.S. GME program, location in the United States, country of origin, medical school, and other demographics. Qualifying IMGs who are seeking advice will access the IAN database via the ECFMG website and search for individuals who would be most likely to be helpful in providing information and advice about relocating to the United States, and related practical advice. The ideal advisor might be one in the same U.S. program that the new IMG will enter, or an individual from the same country or medical school. However, even less specific matches could be of great help. The e-mail address of the IMG seeking advice will be provided to the advisor who can then begin communicating directly with the advisee.

The first phase of implementation of this new resource is active recruitment of qualified advisors in order to build a database of IMGs in or having completed GME training in the United States. If you are such a physician and would like to learn more about serving as an advisor, visit the IMG Advisors Network home page.

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