NURSE Visa Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7351 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7351 To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide nonimmigrant status to nurses working in certain facilities. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 4, 2026 Mr. Beyer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide nonimmigrant status to nurses working in certain facilities. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``National Urgent Recruitment for Skilled Employees Visa Act of 2026'' or the ``NURSE Visa Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION OF NONIMMIGRANT NURSES. (a) Number of Visas.--Section 212(m)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(m)(4)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``500. The number of such visas issued for employment in each State in each fiscal year shall not exceed the following:'' and inserting ``20,000. Such visas shall be issued to employ a nonimmigrant to perform nursing services in a shortage area (as designated by the the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration).''; and (2) by striking subparagraphs (A) through (C). (b) Provider Staffing Ratio Required.--Section 212(m)(6) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(m)(6)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(C) The facility has in place a policy with respect to a provider-to-patient staffing ratio.''. (c) Regulations Required.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of State shall issue regulations nece