Nurses may be placed under the proposed "Z" visa category for temporary workers, a top U.S. government official said.
The temporary worker visa is part of the proposed immigration reform bill currently being discussed in the U.S. Senate. The work visa will allow immigrants to be employed in the U.S. for two years and renew for another two years. Workers must leave the country for a year before they can be renewed.
Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security, said workers can apply for a permanent green but they will have to be evaluated under a merit system where points will be awarded based on education, skill, experience and their ability to speak English.
"Most of the green cards that will exist after we clear the backlog - and there will be about 400,000 - most - those will be based on a merit system, with most weight going to education, employment, experience in the U.S.," Chertoff said.
"If you've been a temporary worker, that's going to count for a lot. If you're in a field where there is a need, like the health care field, that's going to give you points. And family will come in - can be kind of a tie-breaker, but it's not going to be a basis to overwhelm the other merit-based system," he added.
The temporary worker visa is part of the proposed immigration reform bill currently being discussed in the U.S. Senate. The work visa will allow immigrants to be employed in the U.S. for two years and renew for another two years. Workers must leave the country for a year before they can be renewed.
Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security, said workers can apply for a permanent green but they will have to be evaluated under a merit system where points will be awarded based on education, skill, experience and their ability to speak English.
"Most of the green cards that will exist after we clear the backlog - and there will be about 400,000 - most - those will be based on a merit system, with most weight going to education, employment, experience in the U.S.," Chertoff said.
"If you've been a temporary worker, that's going to count for a lot. If you're in a field where there is a need, like the health care field, that's going to give you points. And family will come in - can be kind of a tie-breaker, but it's not going to be a basis to overwhelm the other merit-based system," he added.
Comments
technically, the visa category that you've applied for, doesn't exist anymore. no more schedule A category. that's why the visa bulletins don't mention it anymore. so, if ever the temp working visa pushes through, then those who have pending applications for Schedule A visas would be given the working permit instead.
personally, i don't like the working visa. i see a lot of problems with it. it's still a long way to go though. even if the senate passes a bill, the lower house still has to come up with its own bill and then they have to consolidate it.