Schedule A Workers in America: Health Care and Exceptional Ability

Foreign national workers in certain health care professions and aliens of exceptional ability are able to obtain permanent residency in America through the Schedule A Visa category.

This visa category allows for up to 50,000 'recaptured' visa numbers per year to be distributed to qualifying professionals, and as there is currently no visa backlog for this category, it means visa applicants are able to fast-track the process of obtaining permanent residency.

Schedule A Workers
Group	Requirements
Physical Therapists and Professional Nurses	A foreign national Physical Therapist qualifies for an immigrant visa if he or she is qualified to take a state physical therapist licensing examination. A Professional Nurse may immigrate to America if he or she possesses a certificate from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (also known as the 'visa screen' certificate). They must also hold a full and unrestricted license to practice professional nursing in the state of intended employment.
Aliens of Exceptional Ability	This category is for aliens of exceptional ability in science or art (except those in the performing arts), including college and university teachers of exceptional ability who have been practicing their science or art during the previous year and who intend to continue to practice in the same area of exceptional ability in America. Science or art is defined as any field of knowledge and or skill with respect to which colleges and universities commonly offer specialised courses leading to a degree in the knowledge and or skill. An alien need not have studied at a college or university in order to qualify for an Immigrant Visa in this category.

Schedule A Workers Apply Here

The process to apply for an Immigrant Visa is simplified for Schedule A workers who have a job offer to work in America because they are not required to obtain a labor certification from the Department of Labor.

To be eligible for an Immigrant Visa a Schedule A workers must have a job offer from a US employer to work in America. The US employer may petition for the Schedule A worker to apply for an immigrant visa either at a US Embassy abroad or in the US.

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