Speciality nurses’ employment immigration refused

It is estimated that between 30,000 and 40,000 Canadian citizens with TN visas work in the United States. TN visas are non-immigrant NAFTA visas for professionals who had job offers from U.S. employers. This section of employment immigration includes engineers and computer science gurus who design and build factories in America and play a significant role in job creation. Speciality nurses also represent a high percentage of the TN visa holders.

A recent report indicates that many nurse anaesthetists and advanced practice nurses arrived at border posts only for the refusal of their re-entry into the United States. Apparently, all the Canadian nurses who are employed in the United States have TN visas, but only these two specific types of nurses have been denied entry. There have also been reports of nurses at a Michigan hospital who have been unable to renew their visas.

A spokesperson for the hospital finds this to be a grave concern because it jeopardises the livelihoods of the rejected nurses. Furthermore, speciality nurses are not easy to come by, with more jobs than staff available, and the health of many U.S. patients are compromised with this refusal. Reportedly, border officials told the nurses they must apply for H1-B visas that are typically for employment that is more specialised and can cost up to $4000. The process to obtain a work visa could take more than six months, leaving previous TN visa holders without incomes.

There is no doubt that many Canada residents who work in the United States or those who want to return after an absence may have many questions about the validity of their visas. The best person to provide answers is an experienced employment immigration lawyer. A lawyer who is registered on both sides of the border may be the most appropriate legal representative to have under these circumstances.