Immigration requests for citizens of Japan

The U.S. immigration service has announced that it will give special consideration for certain immigration requests for citizens of Japan. This is all in response to the recent earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown in Japan.

Without providing any specifics, the US CIS says that it will consider extensions of stay for Japan citizens in the USA, as well as allowing Japanese students to work in the USA, with permission. The immigration service has also agreed to do expedited processing for certain applications on behalf of citizens of Japan.

The immigration service did not set forth detailed specific procedures or rules, but they imply that due consideration will be given.

Most Japanese visit the U.S. without a visa and are permitted to stay here for up to 90 days. By law, there is generally no extension available to stay here past the 90 days. However, the immigration service has indicated that they will give extensions to allow citizens of Japan to remain here longer.

One of the lawyers at our office, Gen Kimura, is from Japan and speaks fluent Japanese, and is available to help Japanese citizens with these new immigration processes available to Japanese citizens.

Immigration for Nurses

The New York Times had a front page story today about immigration and nurses in Japan. The article talked about the great need for nurses in Japan, and how the immigration system in Japan makes it virtually impossible for foreign nurses to work there. I thought I was reading about America, however!

Here in the USA, we have had a huge nursing shortage for decades. Like most first-world countries, the USA has allowed foreign nurses to come and work here, but only under certain conditions. In the past 15 years, our Congress has made it virtually impossible to bring in foreign nurses, except under certain complicated circumstances where there is a quota that can take years. So, like Japan, the USA loses out on foreign nurses and they go to more progressive countries like Ireland, England, Australia, Germany, etc.

The article even talked about the requirement for foreign nurses to pass a test in English, and how only 3 people passed last year. While we have a similar test in our country, fortunately a much greater percentage of foreign nurses pass it.

Finally, it was interesting to note in today’s article that, while it seemed to “bash” Japan for its strict immigration system and how it keeps out foreign nurses whose services are in great demand, the same could be said for the USA. And, like Japan, it is the nurses union that is most vociferous in speaking out against allowing foreign nurses to come in, for fear that their salaries will be affected.

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Bruce Coane is a leading lawyer with 30 years of experience in the field of immigration law and employment law. He may be reached via email at houstonlaw@aol.com or his website at Coane and Associates.