Rural hospitals warn $100K H‑1B fee hurts staffing
CBS reports that a September presidential proclamation imposing a $100,000 H‑1B fee for workers applying from abroad is straining rural hospitals’ hiring, with facilities like West River Health Services in Hettinger, North Dakota unable to attract U.S. applicants and now facing prohibitive costs or uncertain DHS waivers. The American Hospital Association, two national rural health groups, and 50+ medical societies have asked the administration to exempt healthcare, citing heavy reliance on foreign‑born clinicians and technicians.
📌 Key Facts
- $100,000 H‑1B fee applies to candidates outside the U.S.; prior H‑1B filing costs were up to ~$5,000
- West River Health Services received 30+ foreign applications for a lab tech role but no U.S. applicants
- AHA and 50+ medical societies seek healthcare exemptions; DHS waivers exist but timeline is unclear
- Immigrant share: 16% of hospital RNs; 14% of PAs and NPs/midwives; nearly 25% of U.S. physicians trained abroad