Beyer Introduces Legislation to Address Nationwide Nursing Shortage

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today introduced the National Urgent Recruitment for Skilled Employees (NURSE) Visa Act, legislation that would address the nationwide nursing shortage by making visas available to foreign nurses working in areas where the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has determined there is a nursing workforce shortage.

"Nurses are the backbone of our nation's health care system - they deliver lifesaving, quality care despite unprecedented challenges. As our health care system grapples with an increasing number of retiring nurses and high demand for skilled nursing professionals, we are approaching a critical tipping point where acute nurse staffing shortages are driving burnout leading to a compounding cycle," said Rep. Don Beyer. "My bill, the NURSE Visa Act, would bolster the nursing workforce by allowing qualified foreign nurses to fill these gaps and ensuring that hospitals and clinics remain adequately staffed to maintain the high standards of care that Americans expect and deserve."

Specifically, the NURSE Visa Act would create 20,000 nonimmigrant visas per fiscal year to employ nurses in areas where the HRSA has determined there is a nursing workforce shortage and where the facility has a provider-to-patient staffing ratio in place.

The United States has long struggled with nursing workforce shortages, which were further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a Health Workforce Analysis published by the HRSA in March 2024, federal authorities project a shortage of 350,540 full-time registered nurses (RN) in 2026 and a shortage of 358,170 full-time RNs in 2031.

Text of the National Urgent Recruitment for Skilled Employees (NURSE) Visa Act is available here.