The newly announced $100,000 H-1B visa fee hike could make it harder for U.S. hospitals to hire skilled nurses at a time when the country is facing a critical nursing shortage.
As the lead plaintiff in this lawsuit, Global Nurse Force is standing with America’s hospitals, nurses, and patients.
Highlights at a Glance
- The United States faces a projected shortage of 1 million nurses by 2031, with 42 states already reporting critical staffing gaps.
- The $100,000 H-1B visa fee hike will make it impossible for U.S. health systems to bring in the doctors and nurses they need quickly.
- Currently 1 in 6 nurses in the U.S. are internationally educated and 1 in 4 doctors are international medical graduates.
- Global Nurse Force (GNF), the lead plaintiff in this case, has placed more than 10,000 nurses at healthcare facilities throughout the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and the Middle East.
- GNF’s direct-hire model allows health systems to employ international nurses directly. Once they arrive in the U.S., they become permanent employees of the hospital and receive the same pay and benefits as regular staff.
- Health Systems can save over $150,000 per nurse compared to traditional contract staffing options.
- GNF is actively working to secure an exemption for healthcare professionals so that hospitals can continue to bring in the doctors and nurses they need.
- Our non-profit and safety-net hospitals already operate on thin margins. A $100,000 per petition surcharge is unsustainable. This fee would force many of our clients to close units. Ultimately, patients would suffer.
A Shared Promise of Care
For more than two decades, Global Nurse Force has connected hospitals across the U.S. with skilled and experienced nurses from around the world.
These nurses are not temporary workers; they are permanent caregivers who become part of their hospital’s core teams, improving outcomes and restoring hope to patients every day.
The Challenge: A $100,000 H-1B Fee Hike
On September 19, 2025, a proclamation introduced a $100,000 supplemental fee for each new H-1B visa petition filed on or after September 21, 2025.
U.S. hospitals planning to hire international nurses through the H-1B visa route were immediately stopped from pursuing this strategy.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States will need 1 million new nurses by 2031. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce notes that 42 out of 50 states already face shortages, and a 2024 McKinsey report found that 31 percent of bedside nurses may leave their roles within 12 months because of burnout.
If hospitals cannot access international nurses, patient wait times will increase, emergency units will close beds, and domestic nurses will face even heavier workloads.
The $100,000 fee has life or death implications, not just cost implications. Fewer nurses mean delayed or denied patient care.
How Global Nurse Force Helps Hospitals Stay Open
Global Nurse Force’s direct-hire model allows U.S. hospitals to employ talented, skilled and experienced international nurses as permanent staff members who receive the same pay, benefits, and professional opportunities as their American peers.
The company manages every detail, including recruitment, credential verification, licensing, immigration, relocation, and family support. This ensures hospitals receive competent, compassionate professionals who are ready to serve from day one.
This model promotes workforce stability, reduces dependence on short-term travel-nurse contracts (which can cost hospitals millions more each year), and delivers continuity of care to patients who need it most.
Why We Filed the Lawsuit
Global Nurse Force made the decision to join this lawsuit challenging the $100,000 fee hike to protect our Clients, American Nurses and Patients across the country.
Our focus throughout this legal process is clear: to advocate for fair and practical solutions that recognizes the essential role of healthcare professionals.
We are working to ensure that doctors, nurses and allied healthcare professionals are exempted from the new H-1B fee hike so that hospitals can continue to hire the skilled clinicians they urgently need. This effort is not just about legal relief; it is about keeping care within reach for patients who cannot afford delay.
“We joined this lawsuit because some of our hospitals simply cannot keep their doors open without international doctors and nurses. This isn’t about optional staffing – it’s about survival”
said Lalit Pattanaik, Founder and CEO of Global Nurse Force.
Strengthening, Not Replacing, the U.S. Workforce
Global Nurse Force fully supports an America-First Healthcare Vision in which domestic talent and international talent work side by side.
International nurses do not replace American workers; they reinforce them.
They fill critical gaps in high-need specialties and underserved regions, helping to improve patient care across the country.
The Road Ahead
Global Nurse Force will continue to collaborate with hospitals, policymakers, and partners to find balanced solutions that preserve both workforce sustainability and patient safety.
We remain committed to working with all stakeholders to advocate for the exemption of healthcare professionals from the $100,000 H-1B fee hike, ensuring that hospitals never have to choose between compliance and care.
We stand with nurses,
We stand with hospitals.
We stand with patients.
We are Global Nurse Force
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