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USCIS extends certification deadline for TN healthcare workers 7.29.2004
Good news for Canadian TN nurses. USCIS announced Tuesday that it has extended by one year the July 26, 2004 deadline for TN nurses and other health care professionals to obtain VisaScreen certificates. The blanket extension applies only to those Canadian/ Mexican nurses who were employed as TN nonimmigrant health care workers before September 23, 2003 and who held a valid license from a U.S. jurisdiction before September 23, 2003. The USCIS press release announcing the extension may be found at: http://uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/Certification19Jul2004 pdf.
Although one reason for the extension is that the certification process is long and cumbersome (not to mention rather expensive), qualifying Canadian and Mexican TN health care workers need not have commenced the CGFNS certification process to benefit from the extension.
While the extension does not address the merit of requiring nurses who have been licensed and practicing in the U.S. for years to become certified solely for immigration purposes, it is welcome news to those who have been scrambling to meet the deadline. For non-TN health care workers, the July 26, 2004 deadline remains in effect.
The Federal Register notice setting forth the interim rule may be found at http://uscis.gov/graphics/lawsregs/fr07222004 pdf.The notice provides examples of acceptable evidence of status and employment prior to September 23, 2003, including copies of TN or TC approval notices, copies of Form I-94 Arrival/Departure records, employment verification letters and/or pay-stubs or other employment records, and state health care worker licenses.
Please contact Matthew S. Raynes, mraynes@eatonpeabody.com, for further information.
Good news for Canadian TN nurses. USCIS announced Tuesday that it has extended by one year the July 26, 2004 deadline for TN nurses and other health care professionals to obtain VisaScreen certificates. The blanket extension applies only to those Canadian/ Mexican nurses who were employed as TN nonimmigrant health care workers before September 23, 2003 and who held a valid license from a U.S. jurisdiction before September 23, 2003. The USCIS press release announcing the extension may be found at: http://uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/Certification19Jul2004 pdf.
Although one reason for the extension is that the certification process is long and cumbersome (not to mention rather expensive), qualifying Canadian and Mexican TN health care workers need not have commenced the CGFNS certification process to benefit from the extension.
While the extension does not address the merit of requiring nurses who have been licensed and practicing in the U.S. for years to become certified solely for immigration purposes, it is welcome news to those who have been scrambling to meet the deadline. For non-TN health care workers, the July 26, 2004 deadline remains in effect.
The Federal Register notice setting forth the interim rule may be found at http://uscis.gov/graphics/lawsregs/fr07222004 pdf.The notice provides examples of acceptable evidence of status and employment prior to September 23, 2003, including copies of TN or TC approval notices, copies of Form I-94 Arrival/Departure records, employment verification letters and/or pay-stubs or other employment records, and state health care worker licenses.
Please contact Matthew S. Raynes, mraynes@eatonpeabody.com, for further information.
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