J-1 Visa Waiver Program
The Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) is committed to helping residents of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont have access to quality, affordable health care. The national healthcare provider shortage is one issue that affects equitable healthcare access in our region.
As part of a larger effort to improve this workforce issue in some of our most rural and underserved areas, the NBRC will consider recommending a waiver of the two-year home-country physical presence requirement on behalf of eligible physicians holding J-1 Visas in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) and Medically Underserved Areas (MUA). Eligible physicians will agree to work at least three years and 40 hours per week within a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services designated HPSA or MUA of the legislatively defined Northern Border Region. As of April 1, 2024, NBRC’s waiver program is open to waiver requests from primary care physicians and physicians practicing specialty medicine who demonstrate an appropriate showing of need. For more information on eligibility requirements, please review our program materials in the J-1 Visa Waiver Policies & Forms links below.
NBRC’s J-1 Visa waiver program is modeled, in part, after the Appalachian Regional Commission’s successful J-1 Visa waiver program. Under NBRC’s program, requests for waivers must be sponsored by a state within the NBRC’s region. The NBRC has collaborated closely with our state partners in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont to complement each State’s already existing Conrad 30 waiver programs.
Requests for waiver under the NBRC J-1 Visa Waiver Program must be sponsored by a state within the NBRC’s region. To begin the process, contact the designated J-1 Program specialist listed below in the state you have been offered employment.
Maine
Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Rural Health and Primary Care
Erica Dyer: Erica.Dyer@maine.gov
Nicole Breton: Nicole.Breton@maine.gov
State of Maine J-1 Visa Waiver Program
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Rural Health & Primary Care Section
Jan Wainwright: Janine.M.Wainwright@dhhs.nh.gov
State of New Hampshire J-1 Visa Waiver Program
New York
New York State Department of Health, Office of Primary Care and Health Systems Management
Helen Crane: Helen.Crane@health.ny.gov
State of New York J-1 Visa Waiver Program
Vermont
Vermont Department of Health, Office of Rural Health and primary Care
Luca Fernandez: Luca.Fernandez@vermont.gov
State of Vermont J-1 Visa Waiver Program
For information regarding the NBRC J-1 Visa Waiver Program, please contact Liz Cross at j1visa@nbrc.gov
J-1 Visa Waiver Policies & Forms:
2. NBRC Federal Co-Chair’s J-1 Visa Waiver Policy
3. J-1 Visa Waiver Application Instructions
4. J-1Visa Waiver Application Checklist
5. J-1 Visa Waiver Employer Letter Outline
6. J-1 Visa Waiver Liquidated Damages Clause
7.J-1 Visa Waiver Affidavit & Agreement
8. J-1 Placement Verification Form
9. Sample Notice - Policies for Heathcare Services Charges
Additional documents:
10. Letter of assurance for Hospitalist
11. Transfer Notification Form