U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds the public that the H-1C nonimmigrant category expires on Dec. 21, 2009.
The H-1C nonimmigrant temporary worker classification authorizes the admission of up to 500 nurses annually to work in eligible health care facilities. After the original 1999 statutory authorization of the program expired in 2005, Congress reauthorized it for three years beginning Dec. 20, 2006 in the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Reauthorization Act of 2005. The statutory authority for the program has not been extended. USCIS will accept petitions until Monday, Dec. 21, 2009.
This expiration does not affect the ability of H-1C nurses currently in status to continue employment during their authorized period of stay, the authority of USCIS to adjudicate a petition properly filed on or before Dec. 21, 2009, or the eligibility of the beneficiary of an approved H-1C petition to be admitted to the United States as an H-1C nonimmigrant.
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