AFRICAN EXODUS
By Gigi
Very little love is lost between the African government and the United States issued H-1B visa; the H-1B visa, is a highly coveted stamp in a non-U.S. passport which allows the passport’s owner to enter the United States legally to work—and not just work, your job has to be specialized…something of distinguished merit that the U.S. can benefit from. The H-1B non-immigrant classification allows the bearer to be employed temporarily in a specialized occupation: architecture, engineering, medicine, education, accounting, law, theology, any of the arts…and yes, even a fashion model. And for that, the African countries want to slap a ban on the emigration of these professionals, who are badly needed in its own countries.
It’s bad enough that African doctors and nurses have been immigrating to Britain for years, where it’s easier to get a work permit than in the United States, but the U.S. is the coveted place to come because working conditions and salaries are better. And because of this, Africans who have the means to, will travel to Britain or the U.S. for medical treatment due to inadequate health staff in their own countries. And the fear is that places like: Kenya, Ghana, Egypt and Nigeria will run out of primary health care workers if the health workforce crisis is not immediately addressed. But since the United States is experiencing a shortage of nurses itself, the Senate is seriously considering allowing an unlimited number of medical professionals to come in to work with a new immigration bill that’s pending—this bill will allow undocumented workers to apply for a work visa, pay a $1,000 fine and after six years of working, or six years of schooling for students, they can file for legal permanent resident status.
African officials are up in arms about this; but because of low-wages, dangerous working conditions and scarce medicine and supplies, medical personnel are leaving and as a result will be leaving behind more suffering. But once the U.S. officials lift the cap, which currently allows 500 nurses per year from Africa and other countries to take jobs in the United States, the emigration will become much worst. Solutions to the U.S. nursing shortage shouldn’t come at a cost of African lives. Right now as I type this, there is one doctor and 49 nurses per every 100,000 people in Kenya; the World Health Organization states the ratio should be one health professional per every 5,000 people. The Kenyan government in Africa is planning to hire 3,800 medical personnel by years end to help close the growing gap. Other African countries will likely follow suit. But is this enough?
By Gigi
Very little love is lost between the African government and the United States issued H-1B visa; the H-1B visa, is a highly coveted stamp in a non-U.S. passport which allows the passport’s owner to enter the United States legally to work—and not just work, your job has to be specialized…something of distinguished merit that the U.S. can benefit from. The H-1B non-immigrant classification allows the bearer to be employed temporarily in a specialized occupation: architecture, engineering, medicine, education, accounting, law, theology, any of the arts…and yes, even a fashion model. And for that, the African countries want to slap a ban on the emigration of these professionals, who are badly needed in its own countries.
It’s bad enough that African doctors and nurses have been immigrating to Britain for years, where it’s easier to get a work permit than in the United States, but the U.S. is the coveted place to come because working conditions and salaries are better. And because of this, Africans who have the means to, will travel to Britain or the U.S. for medical treatment due to inadequate health staff in their own countries. And the fear is that places like: Kenya, Ghana, Egypt and Nigeria will run out of primary health care workers if the health workforce crisis is not immediately addressed. But since the United States is experiencing a shortage of nurses itself, the Senate is seriously considering allowing an unlimited number of medical professionals to come in to work with a new immigration bill that’s pending—this bill will allow undocumented workers to apply for a work visa, pay a $1,000 fine and after six years of working, or six years of schooling for students, they can file for legal permanent resident status.
African officials are up in arms about this; but because of low-wages, dangerous working conditions and scarce medicine and supplies, medical personnel are leaving and as a result will be leaving behind more suffering. But once the U.S. officials lift the cap, which currently allows 500 nurses per year from Africa and other countries to take jobs in the United States, the emigration will become much worst. Solutions to the U.S. nursing shortage shouldn’t come at a cost of African lives. Right now as I type this, there is one doctor and 49 nurses per every 100,000 people in Kenya; the World Health Organization states the ratio should be one health professional per every 5,000 people. The Kenyan government in Africa is planning to hire 3,800 medical personnel by years end to help close the growing gap. Other African countries will likely follow suit. But is this enough?
Labels: african exodus
posted by Gigi @ 9:09 AM
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