We to face more lack of doctors? Donald Trump's $ 100,000 H-1B Visa Fee Shock arouses concern

The plans of the Donald Trump administration to significantly raise H-1B visas fees are raising concerns among US healthcare groups on staff shortages, with more than half of the healthcare professionals considering changing work within the next year, the Reuters news agency reported. The US Department of Home Security is investigating policy adjustments that can increase the H-1B visa application costs from a maximum of $ 4,500 to as high as $ 100,000. The H-1B program enables US businesses to employ foreign professionals in specialized areas such as technology, engineering, medicine and academia. These visas are regularly issued by the US healthcare industry to attract international medical graduates, foreign trained doctors and other professionals trained abroad. The American Academy of Family Physicians emphasized that more than 20% of practicing family doctors are international medical graduates, who are also more likely to work in rural areas. How is the visa fee increase likely to affect the number of doctors? In the financial year 2025, US citizenship and immigration services had nearly 442,000 unique H-1B visual beneficiaries in all sectors, with 5.640 petitions approved specifically in the healthcare and social auxiliary industry. The American Medical Association has warned that fees of up to $ 100,000 could hinder the international physician pipeline. “If the US is already facing a shortage of doctors, making it more difficult for international medical graduates to train and exercise here, it means that patients will wait longer and drive further,” AMA president Bobby Mukkamala told the news agency. The hospital and doctor groups have warned that the fee increase could significantly reduce the influx of foreign-trained doctors in the US healthcare system. For hospitals already working with limited resources, this can lead to a shortage of specialists and a greater pressure on the local medical workforce. The American Hospital Association said hospitals use the program as a temporary solution to address the lack of workforce. “The H-1B Visa program plays a critical role in allowing the hospital field to recruit highly skilled doctors and other healthcare staff to ensure access to the care of communities and patients,” the news agency cited an AHA spokeswoman. “Nearly 21 million Americans live in US areas where doctors trained abroad are at least half of all doctors,” the AAFP said. Staff challenges in US hospitals Many hospitals have experienced staff issues since the Covid-19 pandemic has started. Several, including OhioHealth, Cleveland Clinic, Cedars-Sinai and Mass-General Brigham, told Reuters that they judge how recent administrative changes can affect their operations. The US may face a shortage of 13,500 to 86,000 doctors by 2036, as the supply of demand for the supply of demand is, the report states, referring to the association of American medical colleges. (With input from agencies.)