Speech #910005869

The American Medical Association indicates that in 1965. 11.474 interns and residents serving in approved hospitals in the United States were graduates of foreign medical schools. As such. these doctors account for 28% of all interns and residents employed in approved hospitals. Even more startling is the fact that in fiscal year 1967. for the first time. the number of foreign medical graduate immigrants plus medical exchange admissionsapproximately 8.000exceeded the number of U.S. medical graduatesapproximately 7.600. Alien medical doctors enter this country in one of three ways. Physicians admitted to this country for permanent residence from the Eastern Hemisphere enter pursuant to section 203 (a) (3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This section accords a third preference immigrant visa to certain qualified immigrants of exceptional ability in the sciences whose presence in this country will substantially benefit the welfare of the United States. Also. a labor certificate averring the absence of sufficient. able. willing. and qualified doctors in the place of the aliens intended employment is required by section 212(a) (14). At the present time. alien doctors from the Eastern Hemisphere must wait at least 15 months time between the time their third preference petition is approved and the time their immigrant visa is issued. Alien doctors entering the United States for permanent residence from the Western Hemisphere are admitted as "special immigrants" under section 201(a) (27). A "special immigrant" physician is also required to obtain a labor certification under section 212(2) (14). Currently. alien doctors from the Western Hemisphere experience a delay of approximately 2 months between the time their petition is approved and their immigration visa is issued. In addition. temporary H1. H2. and J1 visas for workers of distinguished merit and ability. workers performing services unavailable to the United States. and exchange visitors. are available under sections 101(a) (15) (H) (i). 101(a) (15) (ii). and 101(a) (15) (J). respectively. The temporary stay. envisioned by these visas. can be lengthened into permanent residence through an informal administrative practice of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Under the logic of the immigration and nationality law. while a visitor. holding a temporary visa is in this country. he may not apply for permanent immigration visa because. the Service feels. such activities would be inconsistent with the purposes of his entry. However. medical doctors. in the United States for temporary purposes. are permitted to file a petition for a third preference visa and remain here until their quota number is reached. Presumably. this informal procedure would be available even if the doctor entered the country illegally. In my judgment. this countrys reliance on foreign medical graduates to fill the partial vacuum of medical manpower is a shortsighted. inadequate policy with dangerous ramifications for all of us.