Legislation to Extend Conrad
State 30 Program Introduced
April 16, 2004 - Senators Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and
Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) April 7 introduced legislation (S.
2302) to extend the Conrad State 30 program five more
years. Under the J-1 visa program, foreign physicians must
return to their home country following completion of their
training for at least two years before they are allowed to
re-enter the United States. This home country requirement
may be waived if the individual is sponsored by an interested
government entity and promises to practice in an underserved
area for at least three years. Under the Conrad State 30 program,
each state is able to offer 30 waivers of the J-1 visa home
country requirement to foreign medical graduates in return
for service in a medically underserved area. Legislative authority
for the program is due to expire on June 1, 2004, and S. 2302
would extend the deadline to June 1, 2009. The legislation
also allows states to determine what health care shortage
areas should be addressed rather than relying on the federal
designation process, and clarifies that individuals holding
Conrad 30 waivers are not subject to the annual cap on H-1B
visas. While serving under the Conrad 30 program, individuals
receive non-immigrant H-1B status for three years.
In a related development, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS), announced
that the annual cap on H-1B visas, from which institutions
of higher education and affiliated or related non-profit entities
are exempted, was reached on Feb. 17.
Information:
Jonathan Fishburn, Director, Research, Education and Veterans' Legislative Affairs
AAMC Government Relations
jfishburn@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
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