Trump visa policy causing shortage of foreign doctors needed to fight Covid-19, report says

Slow implementation of new rules created lag in application processing leaving hospitals understaffed

Hospitals across the US are finding that they are short of doctors, and one reason may be the Trump administration’s ban on work visas.

With coronavirus cases still surging across much of the country, the change to immigration rules and its inconsistent implementation has led to a shortage of foreign medical residents, ProPublica reports.

The 22 June proclamation by president Donald Trump stopped the issuance of work visas and meant that many foreign doctors are unable to travel to the US to begin their residencies.

The immigration order included H1-B visas for highly-skilled workers which are often used by doctors that get a residency at a US medical facility, though most use a J-1 visa, not covered by the ban. Those on an H1-B visa usually have a higher level of qualifications having practised medicine in their home country.

While the order waived the new rules for those providing medical care to Covid-19 patients, guidance on implementation from the state department and department of homeland security has been slow to filter through to consulates and embassies around the world.

Until then many visa applications sit in an administrative hold and much needed qualified medical professionals have found themselves in limbo.

ProPublica’s investigation led many consulates to restart approvals for medical visas, but the lag time in approvals is already causing problems.

A delay of just a couple of weeks before doctors arrive from abroad can create issues in adequate staffing of a hospital. As third-year residents move on, large gaps are opening up in hospital rotas and junior residents are having to cover many extra shifts and work longer hours. Exhaustion is common.

This is raising fears about what might happen in the autumn if a second wave of the virus hits coinciding with flu season.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that in 2017 there were approximately 2,500 medical residents on H1-B visas. This number is thought to have fallen during the Trump administration.

Each resident can be responsible for thousands of patients, and they are often concentrated in less prestigious hospitals.

Complicating matters further is that those residents on H1-B visas currently in the US face uncertainty as to whether they would be allowed to return if they leave, for example for family reasons.

The state department told ProPublica that it was working with the DHS and other partners in implementing procedures. Some consulates overseas remain closed due to local lockdown regulations.

Visa approvals have now begun to work through the system and several doctors told the outlet that after receiving initial rejections their applications are moving forward.

As of Monday afternoon, the US has 3.83 million confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 143,000 officially recorded deaths.