Medical Groups Unite Against New $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee, Warn of Deepening Healthcare Shortage
- Oct 1
- 2 min read
WASHINGTON — A firestorm of opposition is brewing within the nation’s healthcare sector following a recent presidential proclamation imposing a staggering $100,000 fee on every new H-1B visa petition. In a rare display of unity, America’s leading medical organizations are calling on the Trump administration to exempt healthcare workers, warning that the policy could cripple the industry’s talent pipeline and intensify the H-1B visa fee healthcare shortage, with dire consequences for patient care across the country.
Leading the charge, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Hospital Association (AHA) have been joined by more than 50 other medical societies in sending letters to the Department of Homeland Security. They are urging a categorical exemption for physicians and other healthcare personnel from the new fee, arguing it is essential for maintaining workforce stability. The AHA’s letter, sent on September 28, specifically cautioned that the fees would create immense financial strain on hospitals, a burden that would be “felt most by our rural and underserved communities”.
The alarm stems from the healthcare system’s significant reliance on foreign-trained professionals. International medical graduates currently account for nearly one in four practicing physicians nationwide. The H-1B visa program is a critical pathway for this talent. Last year, nearly 17,000 H-1B visas were awarded to health and medical professionals, with half of those going directly to physicians and surgeons. Medical groups argue that these professionals are not displacing American workers but are instead filling critical gaps in care.
The new policy is expected to hit hardest in communities that are already struggling. A significant number of foreign-trained physicians serve in high-need areas. For example, in 2021, approximately 64% of these doctors practiced in medically underserved areas or regions experiencing healthcare professional shortages. By making it prohibitively expensive to recruit from overseas, the fee threatens to cut off a vital lifeline for these vulnerable populations.
The medical community stresses that this issue is not temporary. With an aging U.S. population, the demand for physicians is set to explode. Projections indicate a potential shortage of 86,000 doctors by the year 2036. The consensus among medical leaders is that the U.S. cannot fill this growing void on its own. They argue that exempting healthcare workers from the H-1B fee is not just a matter of policy, but a necessary step to safeguard the future health of the nation.
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