Federal Visa Pause: Impact on U.S. Healthcare Workforce
- Department of State (DOS) has identified specific nationalities experiencing delays in immigrant visa processing due to increased scrutiny regarding potential public benefits usage.
- The following countries are currently listed by the DOS as experiencing longer processing times due to heightened public benefits concerns: Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan,...
- Note: This list was originally published in 2023 and remains current as of January 29, 2026, according to the department of State. A breaking news search conducted on...
Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of Public Benefits Usage
As of January 29, 2026, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has identified specific nationalities experiencing delays in immigrant visa processing due to increased scrutiny regarding potential public benefits usage. This scrutiny stems from policy changes implemented to enforce inadmissibility based on likely receipt of public benefits as outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
List of Nationalities Subject to Increased Scrutiny
The following countries are currently listed by the DOS as experiencing longer processing times due to heightened public benefits concerns: Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen. DOS
Note: This list was originally published in 2023 and remains current as of January 29, 2026, according to the department of State. A breaking news search conducted on January 29, 2026, revealed no updates to this list or the associated processing procedures. DOS
Definition of Health Care Workers in CPS-ASEC
Health care workers are defined within the Current Population Survey – American Community Survey (CPS-ASEC) data as individuals whose detailed occupation is categorized as either “healthcare practitioner and technical occupations” or “healthcare support occupations”.
This categorization is used by the U.S. Census Bureau to identify individuals employed in the healthcare sector for statistical purposes.U.S.Census Bureau – CPS-ASEC Occupational Codes
For example,a registered nurse would fall under “healthcare practitioner and technical occupations”,while a nursing assistant would be classified as “healthcare support occupations”. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Occupational outlook Handbook