"Doctors Are Exempt": 1 in 4 Are Foreigners... US Quietly Lifts Visa Suspension

Concerns Over Primary Care Gaps Amid Chronic Physician Shortage
One in Four U.S. Doctors Is Foreign-Born
Medical Community: "Blocking Qualified Physicians From Entering Is Unacceptable"

The U.S. administration under President Donald Trump has decided to resume visa issuance procedures for physicians from countries subject to entry restrictions. Despite a general trend of tightening immigration controls, this move is interpreted as effectively making an exception for foreign medical professionals in light of the chronic physician shortage.

On May 4, Yonhap News, citing sources such as The New York Times (NYT), reported that the United States, which is suffering from a shortage of physicians, has decided to exempt only foreign doctors from the previous visa suspension measures.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States is currently facing a shortage of approximately 65,000 physicians. With increased healthcare demand due to aging and the ongoing retirement of existing doctors, the workforce shortage is expected to worsen over the next decade. The photo is unrelated to the specific content of the article. Pixabay

On this day, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), under the Department of Homeland Security, updated its website without an official announcement and stated that the suspension of visa processing for physicians from 39 countries subject to travel bans and entry restrictions would no longer apply. The Department of Homeland Security also responded to NYT's related inquiry by stating, "Applications related to medical professionals will continue to be processed." This indicates that visa extensions, work permits, and permanent residency procedures for physicians from these countries will resume, even if they are from countries previously affected by the restrictions.

Previously, in January, the Department of Homeland Security had completely suspended visa extensions, work permits, and permanent residency issuance for applicants from 39 countries subject to entry restrictions, including those in Africa and the Middle East. As a result, some foreign doctors working in the U.S. were reported to have been placed on administrative leave by hospitals or even detained by authorities. However, the American medical community has strongly opposed these measures, arguing that they could further aggravate the already severe shortage of healthcare personnel. Particular concern was raised over rural areas and primary care, which are highly dependent on foreign doctors, as visa restrictions could lead directly to gaps in medical care.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States is currently facing a shortage of approximately 65,000 physicians. With an aging population driving up medical demand and ongoing retirements among existing doctors, the workforce shortage is expected to worsen over the next decade. It is known that about 25% of practicing physicians in the U.S. are foreign doctors. Of these, more than 60% work in primary care fields such as family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics, which are relatively less preferred by American doctors. On April 8, more than 20 physician organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics, sent a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security expressing concerns about policies that block the entry and stay of "qualified and verified physicians" in the United States. They called for expedited processing of entry and residency procedures for foreign doctors.

The Trump administration has pursued a tough immigration policy, expanding the list of countries subject to entry restrictions after taking office for a second term. However, this measure appears to represent a step back from the previous visa suspension policy specifically in the medical sector, taking into account the practical shortage of personnel. Photo by AP Yonhap News

The Trump Administration has pursued a tough immigration policy, including expanding the list of countries with entry restrictions after starting its second term. However, this move appears to have stepped back from the previous visa suspension policy specifically in the medical sector, considering the practical labor shortage issues. The background of this policy reversal lies in the significant role that foreign physicians play in the U.S. healthcare system. In particular, as workforce shortages persist in areas with low medical accessibility and in primary care settings, it was pointed out that restricting visas for foreign doctors could lead directly to gaps in patient care. Thus, this measure is seen as a case of maintaining the overall framework of immigration restrictions while applying a specific exception for healthcare professionals.

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