Introduction
The United States will grant permanent residence to qualified physicians who agree to work full-time in an area with a shortage of doctors. If you are a doctor and want to live in the US for good, then this is your chance!
This includes physicians who are offered jobs by hospitals or other employers in the United States. The process of obtaining permanent residency as an Employment-Based Preference Immigrant is not easy, but there are many benefits to doing so that make it worthwhile for doctors with skills needed in America such as proficiency in English and medical education from accredited institutions.
This typically applies to most doctors who are certified by medical boards and often take residencies in the US. Inactive residents may also qualify for this visa, but they’ll need up to 365 days of past or future work experience within these 36 months before they can apply.
Doctors may get a permanent US residence under EB1-1 and EB1-3 (Green cards for doctors)category.
Employers can sponsor foreign-born physicians to live permanently in the United States, but they must be able to demonstrate that there are no qualified American applicants for the position.
Requirements for Permanent US Residence for doctors
In order to qualify for a green card for doctors, there are the following basic requirements:
- You need to demonstrate 3 years of experience working as a doctor in the US
- Have graduated from an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) school and match the requirements of that ACGME
- Be in full-time work at a hospital or clinic on the list published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as qualified occupations
- Complete internship training requirements set forth by your home country before applying for permanent residency in the United States
- Be prepared for a thorough inspection by the U.S. government on your background. It includes verification of your medical license, degrees from accredited schools, work experience, and even credit score!
Read Also: E Visas (E-1, E-2, and E-3) for Temporary Workers
Process of applying for permanent residency in the US
An employer may use a three-step process to obtain permanent residence for their foreign-born physician:
Step 1: Application for alien labor certification from U.S. Labor Department (DOL) – An employer should first attempt to obtain a labor certification for the physician. Labor certifications are complex and can take from months to years to receive based on the MSA or metropolitan statistical area where the physician will work.
Employers are required to place a job advertisement for physicians in an appropriate national journal. The ad must describe both the employment offered and salary, as well as the qualifications required to perform the position. Employers may not offer less than prevailing wage rates or name themselves in their ads either!
Step 2: Submission of visa petition to US Citizenship and Immigration Services – With the Labor Department’s approval of your alien labor certification, it is time to submit a petition with Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) for permanent residence. The majority of physicians fall into the second category of professionals with advanced degrees, which is based on employment.
In order for a physician to be employed, the employer must demonstrate that they have enough funds and security in their company so as not to disrupt any potential changes. This means proving that there is no definite termination date on said employment status. Furthermore establishing if it will be full-time or part-time work. Alongside this petition, requirements are documents evidencing education and previous experience which should also accompany the application process.
Step 3: Application for permanent residence from US Citizenship and Immigration Services or U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad – At the same time as the visa petition is submitted, the physician and his family can apply for permanent residency at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services office that has authority over his place of residence in the US.
Another option is, once the visa petition is approved, they can either apply for permanent residence at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their home country by applying with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) which is called an “application for adjustment of status”. It is referred to as an “immigrant visa application” when it is submitted from outside the United States.
The U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services are on the lookout for all things that could exclude you from citizenship in America, such as certain criminal convictions, immigration frauds, or subversive activities – so be sure to avoid these pitfalls!
Read Also: Immigration Work Permit – Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
What are the benefits of obtaining US Permanent Resident status?
There are many benefits of obtaining US Permanent Resident status.
- Among the chief benefits for someone who wishes to be a doctor is the opportunity to practice medicine in both countries without having to obtain a work visa for each country they wish to practice in.
- One benefit that is not usually considered amongst the other more obvious ones, which is for anyone except doctors, is obtaining US citizenship and with that right comes voting privileges- on national as well as local elections. This can prove very useful when planning out one’s government representation because it provides support or opposition on issues accordingly relative to one’s own views and interests.
- Another benefit is that once granted Permanent Resident status you won’t have to renew your Visa periodically.
How much does it cost to obtain US Permanent Resident Status
An application on behalf of a person with an employment-sponsored green card process usually costs between $700 and $2000 depending upon your status as “employment approved” or not yet approved by USCIS for the position.
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The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently announced the permanent US residence for doctors. This will allow certain physicians to be able to stay in the country, even if they are not citizens or have another immigration status. If you are interested in applying for this US residency program and also want to translate medical documents, please contact us today! We can help you understand what it takes and how we can assist with your application and translation process.
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