For many Filipino nurses preparing to work in the United States, the dream is still alive — but the waiting has grown longer. Much longer.
According to the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA), visa processing times for Filipino nurses have slowed even further, with some applications now taking several years to move forward. The delays, PNAA said, have become more pronounced under the Trump administration’s stricter immigration policies.
Speaking with GMA News Online in Manila, PNAA President Dr. Marlon Saria explained that while Filipino nurses are not being directly targeted, visa processing itself has clearly been affected.
And the impact is real.
“The waiting time has been taking longer than usual,” Saria said. “And this may already be creating ripple effects in the US healthcare system.”
At the sidelines of the Filipino Nurses Global Summit VI and the 15th International Nursing Conference in Pasay City, Saria shared stories that are becoming increasingly common.
Qualified nurses. Fully prepared. Ready to serve.
But stuck.
“We do have nurses who have since qualified who are unable to come to the US because of the processing of their visa applications,” he said. “Unfortunately, they’re having to wait longer for their cases to be reviewed and approved.”
Those delays don’t just affect the nurses. They affect hospitals, too.
Saria said American hospitals expecting Filipino nurses to fill critical positions are now facing serious staffing shortages.
“It’s very hard to find staff,” he said. “It’s very difficult right now, and that might be a contributing factor to why there is short staffing in many organizations across the US.”
Understaffing was one of the key issues raised by more than 1,000 Filipino nurses who recently joined a mass hospital strike in New York City. The protest followed a deadlock in negotiations over higher pay, better benefits, workplace safety, and staffing levels.
While PNAA refrained from commenting directly on New York’s local healthcare system, Saria said the concerns raised during the strike were understandable.
Still, he was quick to emphasize one important truth.
“In general, Filipino nurses are very highly regarded,” he said. “They are doing very well. They are very successful.”
There have been reports of employment-related abuse — nurses being transferred to other facilities without proper consent — but Saria stressed these are isolated cases, not the norm.
“Generally, Filipino nurses are very well regarded, very highly regarded in the US,” he said.
At the heart of all these issues, Saria reminded everyone, are the patients.
“The patient is the center of all of these,” he said. “Nurses are advocating for their patients, for themselves, and for recognition.”
He expressed hope for a swift resolution to ongoing labor issues — not just for nurses, but for the people who rely on them every day.
Filipino nurses who need help are encouraged to reach out to PNAA for guidance and support.
“Come to PNAA if you need help,” Saria said. “The more voices we have, the more we will be heard — and the more we will be represented.”
For now, thousands of Filipino nurses continue to wait.
Ready to serve.
Ready to care.
Just waiting for the door to open.
