IMG Resource Spotlight
ACP Pushes Back on Visa Pause to Protect International Medical Graduate Physicians
Ongoing pause in immigrant visas for ‘high-risk’ countries could interrupt continuity of care
March 20, 2026 (ACP) -- The U.S. Department of State has paused issuing immigrant visas to nationals from countries deemed as “high risk,” in some cases directly affecting many international medical graduate (IMG) physicians and effectively further reducing the U.S. physician supply.
To minimize the negative consequences of this move, the American College of Physicians is calling for a categorical exemption for physicians.
IMG physicians comprise about 25 percent of U.S. physicians, and they often serve in rural or underserved areas where it is hardest to recruit U.S.-trained doctors. “They work in safety-net hospitals, academic centers and often in primary care specialties that face critical shortages. Without them, access to care for millions of Americans would be compromised,” said Renee Butkus, ACP director of health policy. “Delays or pauses can force physicians to stop seeing patients, disrupt hospital staffing and interrupt continuity of care.”
In some cases, the pause means an interruption of H-1B extensions, change-of-status applications and J-1 waiver processing for many IMG physicians across the country. H-1B extensions allow foreign professionals to extend their initial three-year work visa for an additional three years. In addition to the impact of the pause, H-1B visa applications are now also subject to a new $100,000 fee. A J-1 visa waiver allows visitors who are subject to the two-year home-country physical presence requirement to remain in the United States without returning home.
Beyond the systemwide impact, the pause can be devastating personally, Butkus explained. “Physicians may face uncertainty about whether they can continue working, pay bills or stay with their families here,” she said. “For communities that rely on them, it means reduced access to care, longer wait times and less stability in health services.”
In a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, ACP made its case for exempting physicians already practicing in the United States from the pause. “While impacted individuals can apply for a national interest exception that would be considered on a case-by-case basis, a categorical exception would provide more certainty for both IMGs and their employers,” Butkus said. “We believe this can be done while still allowing appropriate vetting and screening on an individual basis.”
These exemptions will lead to spillover benefits for the entire U.S. health care system, she noted. “If physicians are exempt from the pause, they can continue practicing without fear that visa or work authorization delays will force them to stop working,” Butkus said.
She added: “Hospitals and clinics maintain staff, patients keep getting care and physicians can make career moves or serve in high-need areas without disruption. For someone who has built their life here -- bought a home, raised a family, invested years in training -- it restores stability and peace of mind.”
ACP members can partner with professional organizations, hospitals and community groups to highlight the issue and share personal stories of how this pause affects physicians and patients. “Every voice helps policymakers understand the human impact and the broader risk to the health care system,” Butkus added.
From the March 20, 2026 issue of ACP Advocate
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