copyright ©2007 cgfns international visascreen ® 1 may 2009

Copyright ©2007 CGFNS International

VisaScreen®

1May 2009

http://www.cgfns.org/sections/programs/vs/


• VisaScreen® 2008 Statistics

• VisaScreen® 2006 – 2008 Comparative Statistics

• VisaScreen® Demographics & Renewal

Information

May 2009

VISASCREEN® ANALYSIS


VISASCREN®

2008

STATISTICS

May 2009


TOTAL

2008 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED

11,280

May 2009


VisaScreen® 2008 Applications by Profession

Registered Nurse (RN) 10,415 92%

Clinical Lab. Scientist (CLS) 644 6%

Clinical Lab. Technician (CLT) 18 .16%

Physical Therapist (PT) 377 3%

Occupational Therapist (OT) 17 .15%

Physician Assistant (PA) 15 .13%

Speech Language-Pathologist (SLP) 122 1%

Audiologist (AUD) 8 .07%

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) 55 .49%

May 2009


May 2009

VisaScreen 2008 Applications by Profession RN

CLSCLTPTOTPASLPAUDLPN


TOTAL

2008 VISASCREN®

CETIFICATES ISSUED

9,172May 2009


VisaScreen® 2008 Certificates Issued

by Profession

Registered Nurse (RN) 8,368 91%

Clinical Lab. Scientist (CLS) 423 4.7%

Clinical Lab. Technician (CLT) 3 .03%

Physical Therapist (PT) 195 2.1%

Occupational Therapist (OT) 9 .10%

Physician Assistant (PA) 8 .09%

Speech Language-Pathologist (SLP) 91 1%

Audiologist (AUD) 3 .03%

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) 32 .35%

May 2009


VisaScreen 2008 Certificates by Profession RN

CLSCLTPTOTPASLPAUDLPN

May 2009


VISASCREN®

2006 - 2008

COMPARATIVE

STATISTICS

May 2009


VisaScreen® 2006-2008 Applications

by Profession2005 2006 2008

Registered Nurse (RN) 14,467 11,605 10,415

Clinical Lab. Scientist (CLS) 662 594 644

Clinical Lab. Technician (CLT) 21 18 18

Physical Therapist (PT) 572 413 377

Occupational Therapist (OT) 28 19 17

Physician Assistant (PA) 15 15 15

Speech Language-Pathologist (SLP) 150 145 122

Audiologist (AUD) 10 10 8

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) 79 91 55

May 2009


May 2009

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2006 2007 2008

VisaScreen 2006 - 2008

Applications Received

ApplicationsTotal


VisaScreen® 2006 - 2008 Certificates Issued

by Profession 2005 2006 2008

Registered Nurse (RN) 15,843 11,186 8,368

Clinical Lab. Scientist (CLS) 777 695 423

Clinical Lab. Technician (CLT) 13 11 3

Physical Therapist (PT) 560 361 195

Occupational Therapist (OT) 39 21 9

Physician Assistant (PA) 14 15 8

Speech Language-Pathologist (SLP) 131 146 91

Audiologist (AUD) 8 12 3

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) 72 71 32

May 2009


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2006 2007 2008

VisaScreen 2006 - 2008

Certificates Issued

CertificatesTotal

May 2009


VISASCREEN® DEMOGRAPHICS

AND

RENEWAL INFORMATION

May 2009


VISASCREN®

DEMOGRAPHICS

May 2009


VisaScreen® Demographics by Visa Category: Jan – Dec 2008

May 2009

Form I-905 Annual Statistical Package: VisaScreen Certificates Issued by CGFNS 01/01/2008 through 12/31/2008

Item Visa Type RN LPN OT PT

Speech Lang. Path. Audio.

Clin. Lab

Scient.

Clin. Lab

TechPhys. Asst. Others TOTAL

H1B 379 0 5 107 71 2 298 0 5 0 867

H1C 115 0 0 1 1 0 13 0 0 0 130

Permanent 6,378 25 0 58 12 1 45 2 3 0 6,524

TN 606 3 3 17 2 1 36 1 1 0 670Unknown

890 4 0 12 5 0 31 0 0 0 942

Total 8,368 32 8 195 91 4 423 3 9 0 9,133


VISASCREN®

RENEWAL INFORMATION

May 2009


VisaScreen® Renewal

Pursuant to § 212.15 Certificates for foreign health care workers:

Expiration of certificate or certified statement

The individual's certification or certified statement must be used for any admission into the United States, change of status within the United States, or adjustment of status within 5 years of the date that it is issued.

May 2009


VisaScreen® Renewal Policy

With the passage of the Final Rules on September 23, 2003, VisaScreen® Certificates are valid for five years.

Unless the applicant has obtained a permanent visa or has become a U.S. citizen, the VisaScreen® holder must re-apply to CGFNS and obtain a new certificate prior to the expiration date of the original one.

May 2009


VisaScreen® Renewal Procedures

RENEWAL APPLICATION

• Application, fee and photo must be submitted before expiration of existing VisaScreen® or 212(r) certificate (6 months prior is encouraged). Effective July 1, 2008, the current fee is $250.00 for a renewal.

LICENSE VALIDATION

• All licenses ever held or obtained within past 5 years must be validated.

• Lifetime licenses must be validated if it has been 3 years since last validation

May 2009


VisaScreen® Renewal Procedures

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY• Non-exempt applicants must submit valid and

passing English proficiency scores

EDUCATION• Transcripts from the initial application are deemed

sufficient

ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE• New VisaScreen® certificate with an expiration date

computed from original issuance date will be issued upon approval of all documents and materials

May 2009


VisaScreen® Renewal Applications: Jan - Dec 2008

May 2009

Form I-905 Annual Statistical Package: VisaScreen Renewal Applications Received by CGFNS 01/01/2008 through 12/31/2008

Item Status RNRN - 212r LPN OT PT

Speech Lang. Path. Audio.

Clin. Lab

Scient.

Clin. Lab

TechPhys. Asst. Others TOTAL

A Number of Applications Received 596 0 0 3 15 3 0 45 1 0 0 663B1 # of Applications Evaluated 277 0 0 5 1 17 0 0 300B2 # of Applications Evaluated 585 0 0 3 15 2 0 45 1 0 0 651C # of Appls. Pending Evaluation 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1D # of Appls. Awaiting Payment or

Signature11 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 12

0E Applications Awaiting Documents¹ 58 0 0 1 3 0 7 0 0 0 69E1 Awaiting Active License 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 30E2 Awaiting Valid License(s) 17 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 20E3 Awaiting Valid Transcript(s) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0E4 Awaiting Additional Reqs. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0E5 Awaiting CGFNS/NCLEX 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0E6 Awaiting English Scores 53 0 0 1 3 0 0 7 0 0 0 64

F1 Applicants Issued Certificates2 240 0 0 0 5 0 16 0 0 0 261

F2 Applicants Issued Certificates3 248 0 0 0 5 0 17 0 0 0 270

KEY: # of Applications Received = B+C+D

B1 = # of Applications Evaluated that were received between 1/1/2008 through 12/31/2008

B2 = Total # of Applications Evaluated between 1/1/2008 through 12/31/20008

F1 = # of Applicants Issued Certificates between 1/1/2008 through 12/31/2008 whose applications were received between 1/1/2008 through 12/31/2008

F2 = Total # of Applicants Issued Certificates between 1/1/2008 through 12/31/2008


VisaScreen® Renewals

The potential pool of TN status applicants that may need a renewal certification when the original 2005 and 2005 VisaScreen® expires:

2004 2005 (2009 Renewal) (2010 Renewal)

Registered Nurses 3854 2547

Physical Therapists 47 91

Occupational Therapists 10 9

Clinical Laboratory Scientists (Medical Technologists)

207 83

TOTAL 4118 2730

May 2009


VISASCREEN® RENEWALS

AND

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

May 2009


VisaScreen® Renewals and English Proficiency

• English Proficiency test criteria will not apply to those who request a VisaScreen® renewal and who have been working in the U.S. for the immediate past 3 years.

• Employers of renewal applicants will be required to verify the 3 year working history.

May 2009


VisaScreen® Renewals and English Proficiency

• Facilitates renewals of TN’s and H1-B visa holders VisaScreen® Certificates.

• VisaScreen® certificate holders who remain in their country due to retrogression will be affected

• Those VisaScreen® holders who cannot document 3 years of the U.S. working experience will have to take the English proficiency exam.

May 2009


VISASCREEN®

PROFESSIONS UPDATE

• MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST

• PHYSICAL THERAPIST

• OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST


VisaScreen® and Medical Technologists

CGFNS has taken the position that specialists in medical technology (e.g., cytotechnologists) are not subject to the VisaScreen® requirement.

USCIS agrees that a VisaScreen® can not be issued in these instances, as specialists fall outside of the regulation, and will adhere to CGFNS’ decision on each individual case.

As provided in 8 CFR 212.15 (c), only the health care occupations listed are subject to the healthcare certification requirement.

May 2009


VisaScreen® and Physical and Occupational Therapists

• USCIS is rejecting H1-B and permanent visa petitions filed by PT’s and OT’s nullifying their VisaScreen® certificates.

• Challenging educational comparability based on Department of Labor (DOL) designation of master’s degree as entry level

May 2009


VisaScreen® and Physical and Occupational Therapists

• CGFNS, FCCPT, NBCOT and AILA are contesting USCIS action: DOL erred in its analysis.

• CGFNS holds state licensure requirements rule over educational standards.

• Deterrent to foreign educated PT’s and OT’s seeking occupational visas.

May 2009


FOREIGN EDUCATED

PRACTICAL NURSES


Foreign Educated Practical Nurses

• Historically, practical nurse programs outside the U.S. are rare

• Majority of practical nurses who were educated outside the U.S. were first level nurses who did not qualify for CGFNS Qualifying Exam or NCLEX-RN

• Current proliferation of practical nurse programs, especially in Philippines, Haiti and Jamaica.

May 2009



• Practical nurses not recognized or regulated in those countries.

• No standards of education or practice to ensure quality or consistency of programs

• Promotes documentation fraud, misrepresentation and exploitation of nurses

May 2009



• CGFNS supports consistency in U.S. licensure of foreign educated practical nurses

– Require initial licensure from country of education.– Clear educational standards.– Government recognition, accreditation or approval of

nursing program.

May 2009