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Rural hospitals and medical centers in the U.S. face significant challenges attracting healthcare workers, including medical technologists, to smaller towns. With a nationwide shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly in rural areas, hospitals and medical centers often reach out to our law firm seeking guidance on onboarding international medical technologists to fill their laboratory needs. This article presents viable visa options for hospitals and medical centers struggling to recruit and retain qualified workers in these positions.
Medical Technologists and Medical Laboratory Scientists are critical positions for hospitals and medical centers. Hospital and Medical Center laboratories typically provide comprehensive testing in the areas of hematology, chemistry, microbiology, serology, and blood banking. The Medical Technology workers employed at these labs are usually tasked with ensuring that physicians have accurate and timely access to patient test results to diagnose and treat patients.
Many U.S. hospitals and medical centers are not required to wait for the H-1B lottery or hope that they get selected in the random H-1B selection process to file for an international Medical Technologist. This is because they qualify for cap-exempt H-1B visas as non-profit or county-owned hospitals affiliated with institutions of higher education.
Does the Medical Technologist Position Qualify for H-1B?
To determine if a hospital or medical center could qualify to onboard an international Medical Technologist for their lab team, it is essential to first review the minimum job requirements to see if their Medical Technologist position requires at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty. Typically, for a Medical Technologist or Medical Laboratory Scientist position, a bachelor’s degree in medical technology, medical laboratory science, biology, chemistry, or a directly related field is required. This means the position qualifies for H-1B.
International Medical Technologists and Medical Laboratory Scientists:
If a U.S. hospital or medical center is unable find local candidates to fill Medical Technologist positions with the required qualifications, they may consider recruiting internationally. There are many qualified international workers looking to fill these positions in the U.S. To qualify for the H-1B position, the recruited international worker must possess the required bachelor’s degree or higher, or its equivalent. Additionally, the international worker will need to apply for a visa screen from an approved agency, such as CGFNS.
Exit Clearance for Some International Workers:
An exit clearance may be required from the worker’s home country; for example, the Philippines requires that an exit clearance be processed after H-1B visa approval if the hospital or medical center is hiring the international worker through “direct hire” process, rather than using a recruiting agency with a partner in the Philippines. While this process may seem initially seem daunting, our law firm has successfully assisted multiple hospitals and their incoming international employees in completing the exit clearance requirements, enabling those international to enter the U.S. and begin their roles on H-1B visas. As always, it is crucial to consult with an immigration attorney experienced in handling H-1B and Green Card process for healthcare organizations.
If you are an Employer looking to learn more about H-1B visa options and the lawful permanent residency process, you might consider taking an online training through the Corporate Immigration Compliance Institute. Trainings can be found here: https://www.usimmigrationcompliance.com/get-certified
Leyla McMullen
Mdivani Business Immigration Lawyer
NOT LEGAL ADVICE: This article is for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice that may be applicable to your situation.
The information provided here does not constitute legal advice. It is general information regarding law and policy that may be applicable to your particular HR issue or legal problem. Information provided in this blog, or any of our other public posts, does not create an attorney-client relationship. For specific advice you can rely upon, please contact your attorney.
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