Reduce Health Care Labor Shortages by Recruiting Skilled Immigrants

Tony Payan, José Iván Rodríguez-Sánchez, Moiz Bhai, Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, Nov. 6, 2024

• The U.S. health care sector is grappling with a severe labor shortage, worsened by the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and an aging population, leading to widespread consequences, including increased patient rejection rates and overall strain on the system.
• Immigrants have historically been crucial in addressing health care labor shortages in the U.S., constituting a significant portion of the workforce in the sector, with the added benefit that migrant workers are often willing to work in high-demand and underserved areas.
• Restrictive and complex immigration policies are making it difficult for migrant workers to access health-related jobs and for the sector to meet a growing demand for care.
• Proposed immigration policy reforms include raising visa caps for health care workers, creating new health care-specific visa categories, reducing administrative burdens, and reforming occupational licensing laws to allow qualified immigrants to practice within their full scope of training.
• This report recommends developing federal and state programs to actively recruit health care workers from abroad, offering qualifying courses for migrants willing to work in the U.S., making flexible licensing requirements, and offering incentives such as expedited permanent residency and family reunification options for those willing to work in underserved areas.