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- Foreign Medical Graduates Waiver Program Extended to February 2
An extension to the Conrad 30 waiver program was recently included in the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act to avert a government shutdown in November. The program is extended through February 2, 2024.
The program allows J-1 foreign medical graduates to apply for a waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement upon completion of the J-1 exchange visitor program. The exchange visitor program, or J-1 visa, is a non-immigrant visa that allows eligible international candidates to travel and gain experience in the United States by participating in work- and study-based programs. Each state is allowed to sponsor up to 30 physicians each year and has developed its own application rules and guidelines. The program addresses the shortage of qualified doctors in medically underserved areas across the country.