WHERE ARE THE VISAS?
Feb 03 2010

UPDATE



July 15, 2009





Hello, everyone! You must all be anxious about the visa


situation. It has been more than three years since the


visa for nurses has retrogressed and there is no end in


sight as yet. You must have heard that a few nurses had


been interviewed by the US embassy as per the priority


dates established by the USCIS. Fewer still received


visas who then departed for the USA.



As a result, the number of nurses in the Philippines is


increasing tremendously every year. Consider this: last


year, 37,000 new nurses took and passed the Philippine


board in one exam. With no nurses leaving for the US,


the number of available nursing positions in Philippine


hospitals has dwindled down to almost zero. But new


graduates need nursing experience in order to be hired


by US employers, don�t they?. How to accumulate


experience? That is problematic. Nurse staffing is full. If


new nurses want experience they are forced to pay to


get that experience.



To say that the situation is dire is to say the least. But if


history is any indication, there must be an opening


coming up soon somewhere. In 1990, the US

Immigration opened the door for Philippine nurses after


closing it in 1985. Then in 1995, visa processing froze


for the next five years. In 2000, the gate opened once


again and for the next five years, Rymek deployed close


to 500 nurses in the US.



This present situation started in late 2005 and is

continuing while the number of nurses stranded in the


Philippines is piling up. If we go by recent history,

however, we should expect something by 2010. This is


not scientific but there is no other expectation. You see,


government reports indicate continuing nurse shortages


in the US. Some areas might be showing some

improvement but overall, the US still needs a lot of


additional nurses. US nursing schools are not able to


provide the needed number of replacement nurses.


Every year, they turn away thousands of qualified

nursing school applicants because they are not able to


accommodate them.



That�s where you all come in. Consider this: American


nurses� average age is 45. What does that tell you? It


tells you that more American nurses are older and are


nearing retirement. When more American nurses retire


than join the workplace, foreign nurses come to the


rescue.



So hold on a little bit longer. In addition to our historical


lesson, the healthcare industry is working very hard with


the US Congress and the US President to work out some


remedy for this problem. The prospect of more baby


boomers entering retirement age is hitting the

healthcare industry with a big bang. After all retirement


means a need for more medical services.



Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel


free to email me at: nolan@rymek.com.



For updates, visit our website: www.rymek.com.