Attached to the recently passed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act of 2010, the Conrad State 30, EB-5, and E-verify programs have been extended through September 2012. These three programs are technically “temporary” programs that need to be reaffirmed every couple of years. In reality, these three programs have been continuously reaffirmed for years and few people doubt that they will be canceled in the future.
The Conrad State 30 program allows for each state to sponsor 30 foreign national medical physicians to work in the United States without having to fulfill the J-1 two-year home residency requirement. In return, the foreign national physicians agree to work in certain underprivileged areas and medically under-served populations. These positions are often in areas where very few, if any, other physicians provide medical coverage.
The EB-5 investor program allows for foreign national investors to invest in the United States in exchange for obtaining permanent residency. This program often involves an investment of over one million dollars and requires the investment to create or save ten American workers.
The e-verify program is used by numerous companies to ensure that their workers are authorized to work in the United States.