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1998 News and Alerts Due to the age of these news items, information (including links) may be outdated. Please use the search feature at the top of the page to find more current information on the subject or to find a current link. MAY 15, 1998 Legal action against U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and U.S. Department of State The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court in Washington, D.C., against the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and the U.S. Department of State for violations of Section 343 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA) of 1996. Through the promulgation of arbitrary, capricious and unlawful directives regarding the immigration of foreign health care workers, INS and the State Department have refused to accept CGFNS certifications of the qualifications of foreign health care professionals — in direct violation of Section 343 of IIRAIRA. Section 343 of IIRIRA requires that certain health care professionals educated outside of the United States satisfy a screening program prior to receiving a temporary or permanent occupational visa (including H-1B, H-2B, TN, and permanent resident alien visas). The screening includes an assessment of an applicant’s foreign education to ensure that it is comparable to that of a U.S. graduate in the same profession; verification that the applicant’s licenses are valid and unencumbered; determination of English language proficiency; and, in the case of nursing applicants, verification that the nurse has either earned a CGFNS certificate or passed the NCLEX-RN® (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses). CGFNS is named in the law as an approved screening agency and meets the requirements of Section 343 through its VisaScreen™ program operated by its division, the International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP). CGFNS is an immigration-neutral, nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and is an internationally recognized authority on the education, registration and licensure of nurses worldwide. CGFNS’s mission is to provide responsible leadership in the delivery of relevant services to the global nursing and health care community. The organization was founded in 1977 through a collaborative effort by representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor; Department of Health, Education and Welfare (now the Department of Health and Human Services); the Immigration and Naturalization Service; and representatives from nursing organizations, including the American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing. For additional information about CGFNS and its services, contact: CGFNS International, 3600 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651 USA; telephone: +1 (215) 349 8767; fax: +1 (215) 349 0026. |
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