Health services M&A deal value and volume are expected to rebound in 2026 after a slowdown in 2025, and that shift could have a major impact on how U.S. healthcare organizations recruit and retain international nurses. For hospitals, health systems, and long-term care providers competing in a tight labor market, understanding these trends isn’t just a finance issue it’s a workforce and immigration strategy issue.
According to recent industry analysis, healthcare deal value and volume are expected to recover in 2026 after a down year in 2025. While 2025 saw more cautious activity due to regulatory uncertainty, reimbursement pressure and higher financing costs, investors and strategic buyers are expected to re-enter the market more aggressively in 2026.
For healthcare employers, this anticipated rebound matters because:
- Mergers and acquisitions can lead to rapid expansions in service lines and facilities.
- Consolidation often accelerates the need for additional nursing staff.
- Post-deal integration frequently highlights workforce shortages, especially in bedside care and specialty units.
Organizations involved in acquisitions or those operating in markets where consolidation is increasing should expect greater competition for qualified nurses, both domestically and internationally. Having a proactive international nurse recruitment and immigration strategy in place can turn M&A disruption into an opportunity to stabilize staffing and support growth.
Focus on smaller “bolt-on” deals and carve-outs
In 2026, both strategic acquirers and private equity firms are expected to keep favoring:
- Smaller “bolt-on” acquisitions: Adding focused, niche providers to existing platforms.
- Carve-outs: Selling or spinning off non-core assets that still offer strong earnings and operational upside.
These transactions are often aimed at:
- Avoiding sectors heavily exposed to shifting reimbursement and regulatory risk.
- Concentrating on segments with predictable cash flow and scalable operations.
- Unlocking value through operational improvements, technology and better care coordination.
From a staffing and immigration perspective, these smaller but frequent transactions can have several implications:
1. Localized workforce disruption
Smaller deals can reshape regional care delivery closing, consolidating or expanding facilities and quickly change nurse staffing needs.
2. Need for rapid deployment of nurses
Acquirers may need to fill critical vacancies fast in newly acquired clinics, home health agencies or ambulatory centers. International nurses, if planned for early, can be part of that solution.
3. New roles in tech-enabled care
As organizations rely more on software and service platforms, international nurses with telehealth, informatics, or care coordination experience may be in higher demand.
VisaMadeEZ works with healthcare organizations involved in M&A or carve-outs to plan immigration timelines and nurse deployment strategies aligned with transaction milestones, helping avoid last-minute staffing crises.
Private equity is moving toward tech-enabled care support
Private equity investors are expected to continue shifting away from sectors heavily exposed to reimbursement and regulatory swings and toward software and service platforms that support care delivery, such as:
- AI-based telehealth platforms
- Revenue cycle management and billing tools
- Workforce optimization solutions
- Utilization management and member engagement services
These platforms don’t eliminate the need for nurses; they change how nurses work:
- Telehealth platforms still rely on licensed nurses to triage, educate and follow up with patients.
- Workforce optimization tools highlight staffing gaps that often must be filled by international nurse hiring.
- Care management and member engagement services frequently use nurses for chronic disease management, remote monitoring and patient education.
As the delivery of care becomes more distributed and virtual, the immigration pathways for international nurses may need to reflect diverse work settings traditional hospitals, remote clinics, call centers, home health, and hybrid telehealth roles. A healthcare immigration lawyer who understands evolving care models can help structure job descriptions and immigration filings to align with real-world nursing responsibilities in these new environments.
Carve-outs of non-core assets: labs, home health and revenue cycle
Health systems and diversified healthcare companies are increasingly carving out non-core assets to:
- Raise liquidity
- Focus capital and management attention on core clinical services
- Modernize operations in specialty segments
Common carve-out targets include:
- Laboratory businesses
- Home health providers
- Revenue cycle management companies
For home health and post-acute providers in particular, this trend can significantly influence international nurse recruitment:
- Carve-outs may lead to rapid expansion under new ownership, increasing nursing demand.
- New owners often invest in operational improvements, which can include scaling home-based care models that rely heavily on skilled nurses.
- Geographic expansion into underserved markets can further strain local nursing supply, increasing demand for foreign-trained nurses.
At VisaMadeEZ, we frequently assist home health agencies and post-acute care providers with:
- Developing long-term immigration pipelines for international nurses
- Structuring roles and locations to comply with visa requirements
- Managing transitions when ownership changes so foreign workers remain in lawful status
If your organization is acquiring or divesting home health or post-acute assets, immigration planning should be part of your transaction checklist just like licensing, billing and compliance.
Physician practice deals and integrated care models
Drug distribution companies and other large healthcare players are expected to keep pursuing partnerships and acquisitions involving physician practices, particularly in:
- Specialty care
- Coordinated, value-based care models
- Settings where integrated supply chain and care pathways can improve outcomes
These integrated models often depend on teams that include:
- Physicians
- Nurse practitioners and physician associates
- Registered nurses and care coordinators
- Infusion nurses in specialty clinics and home settings
As physician practices consolidate and connect more tightly with distribution and specialty care networks, nursing roles frequently expand beyond bedside care to include:
- Care coordination
- Patient education
- Chronic disease management
- Specialty infusion and procedure support
International nurses, especially those with experience in specialty clinics or ambulatory care, can be a valuable asset in these integrated models. Healthcare employers thinking ahead can use immigration pathways such as immigrant visas for nurses and certain nonimmigrant categories where appropriate to build capacity in these high-demand areas.
Valuations, high-growth subsectors and demand for nurses
Although overall deal value per transaction dipped in late 2025 due to regulatory and rate pressure, certain high-growth subsectors continue to command strong valuation multiples thanks to their scalability and favorable reimbursement outlook. These include:
- Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs)
- Home infusion services
- Behavioral health platforms
Each of these sectors has substantial nursing needs:
- ASCs rely on perioperative, pre-op and post-op nurses with surgical and procedural experience.
- Home infusion providers depend on nurses trained in central line management, infusion therapies and patient education in home settings.
- Behavioral health platforms frequently rely on psychiatric nurses and nurses experienced in substance use, crisis intervention and integrated behavioral care.
Rapid growth in these subsectors supported by active M&A can outpace local nursing supply. That gap often pushes forward-thinking organizations to consider international nurse recruitment as part of a broader workforce strategy.
VisaMadeEZ supports employers in these high-growth niches by:
- Evaluating which nursing roles are most suitable for international hires
- Advising on visa options and long-term immigration planning
- Helping ensure that job requirements, work locations and duties align with immigration regulations
Improving IPO market and the need to scale talent
As market conditions improve, more health services companies especially those backed by private equity are exploring initial public offerings (IPOs) to support growth and liquidity. For companies moving toward IPO or other growth financing events, workforce is often as critical as capital:
- Investors expect the ability to scale operations, which depends heavily on staffing.
- Talent shortages in nursing and allied health can limit growth and performance.
- International nurse recruitment can provide a predictable pipeline to support expansion plans post-IPO.
For companies on a 2–3 year path to going public, building an immigration strategy for nurses and other healthcare staff now can:
- Reduce the risk of staffing shortfalls that undermine growth projections
- Demonstrate operational readiness to investors
- Support expansion into new markets or service lines after the IPO
VisaMadeEZ partners with growth-stage healthcare companies to integrate immigration planning into their broader human capital and expansion strategy, helping ensure that nursing capacity keeps pace with the business plan.
What this means for healthcare organizations hiring international nurses
For hospitals, health systems, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, ASCs and specialty providers, the expected rebound in health services M&A in 2026 is more than a financial trend it’s a workforce challenge and an opportunity.
Key takeaways for healthcare employers:
1. Plan early around transactions
If your organization is considering a merger, acquisition, carve-out or sale, immigration planning for international nurses should be part of deal preparation, not an afterthought.
2. Use immigration to support growth, not just fill gaps
International nurse recruitment can be aligned with strategic expansion into ambulatory care, home-based services, telehealth-enabled models and integrated physician networks.
3. Anticipate regional and sector-specific shortages
High-growth areas like ASCs, home infusion and behavioral health will likely feel workforce pressure first. Building an international pipeline can help you stay ahead of competitors.
4. Make compliance and continuity a priority
During ownership changes and restructuring, maintaining visa compliance and work authorization for existing foreign staff is critical. Mishandled transitions can lead to disruptions, liability and loss of key personnel.
How VisaMadeEZ supports healthcare organizations in a changing M&A environment
VisaMadeEZ is an immigration law firm dedicated to helping healthcare organizations hire international nurses and build sustainable, compliant staffing models. We understand both the legal and operational realities of healthcare, particularly in the context of:
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Carve-outs and spin-offs
- Rapid growth and market expansion
- Changing care delivery models (telehealth, home-based, ambulatory)
Our services for healthcare employers include:
- Strategic immigration planning tailored to your growth and M&A roadmap
- End-to-end support for international nurse recruitment and visa processing
- Guidance on maintaining immigration compliance through ownership changes
- Training for HR and leadership teams on immigration, onboarding and retention of foreign-trained nurses
If your organization is planning a transaction, expanding services or simply struggling to meet ongoing nurse staffing needs, now is the time to align your M&A strategy with a robust international recruitment and immigration plan.
To discuss how VisaMadeEZ can help your healthcare organization hire international nurses and navigate immigration issues in the midst of industry consolidation, contact our team today.
