Immigration Ban and the US Health Care Workforce

By
Tarun Ramesh
Michael Liu
Hao Yu
May 30, 2026
0 min

Jama Network Open

Overview

This study evaluates the effects of a complete immigration ban on healthcare professionals from 19 countries on the US healthcare workforce. It presents data on the inflow of physicians and nurses from these countries over the past decade.

Background

The recent immigration ban enacted by the US federal government has raised concerns regarding its impact on the healthcare workforce. Understanding the trends in immigration of healthcare professionals is crucial.

Data Highlights

Year	Physician Inflow	Nurse Inflow
2010	350	189
2022	N/A	368
2023	459	N/A

Key Findings

Annual physician inflow from banned countries increased from 350 in 2010 to 459 in 2023.
Annual nurse inflow from banned countries rose from 189 in 2010 to 368 in 2022.
In 2023, 2.15% of all US physicians and 1.41% of all US nurses were from banned countries.
Counties with at least 1 physician from a banned country were more likely to be designated as primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA).
Counties with at least 1 nurse from a banned country had a higher proportion of nurses from these countries (14.14%).

Clinical Implications

The findings indicate that the immigration ban may exacerbate existing healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in underserved areas. Healthcare policymakers should consider the implications of such restrictions on the availability of healthcare professionals.

Conclusion

The immigration ban has led to a notable increase in the inflow of healthcare professionals from affected countries, which may influence the overall healthcare workforce dynamics in the US.