Nevada Report Shows State Officials Knew About, Did Not Act on J-1 Visa Program Abuses

Although Nevada officials have said they were not aware of abuses by employers hiring foreign physicians though the J-1 visa waiver program, the state received at least six complaint letters from foreign doctors, according to a report released on Thursday by the state, the Las Vegas Sun reports (Allen, Las Vegas Sun, 8/4). The J-1 program allows foreign physicians to practice in medically underserved communities of the state. A Sun investigation of the program in September 2007 found that some foreign physicians were forced by their sponsors to work up to 100 hours per week, were being "cheated out of their salaries" and "diverted from the patients" in underserved areas that they were supposed to help (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 2/14).

The state report reviewed the program from 2001 through 2008 and found that not much was done to address the six complaints. According to the Sun, the complaints were similar to those uncovered during its investigation. Since the Sun investigation, the state has worked to reform the J-1 program and its oversight (Las Vegas Sun, 8/4).