The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a final rule that will significantly impact employers and foreign nationals who rely on fast immigration decisions especially hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare employers recruiting international nurses.
Effective March 1, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will increase premium processing fees to account for inflation from June 2023 through June 2025. If you plan to use premium processing for work visas or immigration benefits, this change directly affects your costs and planning.
At VisaMadeEZ, an immigration law firm dedicated to helping healthcare organizations hire international nurses, we are closely monitoring these updates to ensure our clients stay ahead of regulatory changes that can impact staffing and onboarding timelines.
|
Form |
Previous Fee |
New Fee |
|
Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status |
$1,685 |
$1,780 |
|
Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, all other available Form I-129 classifications: E-1 |
$2,805 |
$2,965 |
|
Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, employment-based classifications: E11 |
$2,805 |
$2,965 |
|
Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, requesting: F-1 |
$1,965 |
$2,075 |
|
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, for certain eligible applications (OPT and STEM-OPT Classifications) |
$1,685 |
$1,780 |
What Is Premium Processing and Why It Matters for Healthcare Employers
Premium processing is an optional USCIS service that allows employers and applicants to pay an additional fee in exchange for expedited processing of certain immigration petitions, such as:
- Employment-based immigrant petitions (like EB-3 for nurses)
- Some nonimmigrant work visa petitions (such as H-1B for certain advanced practice roles, where applicable)
For hospitals and healthcare organizations facing critical staffing shortages, premium processing is often a strategic tool to:
- Speed up decisions on immigration petitions
- Reduce uncertainty in onboarding timelines
- Align arrival dates of international nurses with staffing needs and patient care demands
Why Are USCIS Premium Processing Fees Increasing?
Under the USCIS Stabilization Act, DHS has the authority to adjust premium processing fees every two years to keep pace with inflation.
The purpose of these periodic increases is to:
- Maintain the real-dollar value of the premium processing service
- Ensure USCIS can continue to offer expedited service sustainably
- Fund improvements in adjudication processes
- Help USCIS respond to growing adjudication demands and backlogs
- Support broader USCIS adjudication and naturalization services
In other words, while this is a cost increase, USCIS is positioning it as part of a broader effort to stabilize processing operations and improve performance something that ultimately affects employers who rely on consistent, predictable immigration processing.
When Do the New Premium Processing Fees Start?
The new fees will take effect on March 1, 2026.
- Any Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing, that is postmarked on or after March 1, 2026, must include the new premium processing fee applicable to the specific immigration benefit requested.
- If you submit the old fee after this date, USCIS may reject your premium processing request, which can delay your case.
For healthcare employers and international nurses, timing will be critical in early 2026. Strategic filing before and after the effective date may help manage costs while still meeting staffing needs.
How This Impacts Healthcare Organizations Hiring International Nurses
For employers in the healthcare sector especially hospitals, rehab centers, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies the USCIS premium processing fee increase has several practical implications:
1. Budgeting for Higher Immigration Costs
As premium processing fees rise, so will the total cost of hiring international nurses. Organizations that rely heavily on expedited processing should:
- Review current and projected recruitment budgets
- Identify cases where premium processing is essential versus optional
- Plan ahead for 2026 filings that may fall under the new fee structure
2. Planning Start Dates and Onboarding Timelines
Premium processing remains one of the most effective tools for:
- Receiving quicker decisions on immigrant petitions for nurses (e.g., EB-3)
- Reducing delays in the overall green card process
- Coordinating nurses’ start dates with licensing, credentialing, and relocation
Higher fees may lead some employers to be more selective about when to request premium processing, making strategic planning more important than ever.
3. Balancing Cost vs. Time-to-Hire
Healthcare facilities under pressure from staffing shortages may find that the benefit of a faster decision outweighs the increased cost. For many employers:
- The cost of short staffing and overtime can exceed the added premium processing fee
- Delayed arrivals of international nurses can affect patient care quality and staff burnout
A tailored immigration strategy can help determine when premium processing is the right investment and when regular processing may be sufficient.
How Premium Processing Revenue Is Used
DHS has confirmed that the additional revenue generated from these fee increases will be used to:
- Provide and maintain premium processing services
- Improve USCIS adjudication processes and efficiencies
- Address case backlogs and increased demand
- Support broader USCIS adjudication and naturalization operations
If properly implemented, these measures could ultimately benefit healthcare employers by reducing unpredictable delays and creating more consistent processing times across various case types.
What Employers and Nurses Need to Do Before March 1, 2026
To avoid disruptions when the new rule takes effect, healthcare organizations and international nurses should:
1. Review current and anticipated cases
- Identify which petitions may require premium processing between now and early 2026.
2. Coordinate filing strategies
- Where possible, consider filing certain cases before March 1, 2026 to take advantage of the current premium processing fee structure.
3. Confirm the correct fee at the time of filing
- Always verify the latest USCIS fee before submitting Form I-907.
- Using an outdated fee can result in rejection and delays.
4. Work with experienced immigration counsel
- A law firm that focuses on healthcare immigration can help you avoid costly errors and timing issues.
How VisaMadeEZ Supports Healthcare Employers and International Nurses
At VisaMadeEZ, our practice is built around one core mission:
Helping healthcare organizations efficiently hire and onboard international nurses while staying fully compliant with U.S. immigration laws.
We assist with:
- Strategy and planning for EB-3 immigrant visas for nurses
- Determining when premium processing is advisable or necessary
- Monitoring USCIS fee changes and regulatory updates
- Preparing and filing Form I-140 and Form I-907 for eligible cases
- Developing long-term immigration and staffing strategies tailored to your facility’s needs
By staying ahead of changes like the 2026 premium processing fee increase, we help hospitals and healthcare employers reduce surprises, maintain compliance, and keep patient care at the forefront.
Key Takeaways for Healthcare Immigration Planning
- Premium processing fees are increasing, effective March 1, 2026, to adjust for inflation from June 2023 to June 2025.
- The change is authorized by the USCIS Stabilization Act, which allows USCIS to adjust these fees every two years.
- Requests for premium processing postmarked on or after March 1, 2026, must include the new fee, or they risk rejection.
- Healthcare organizations that rely on international nurses should plan ahead, adjust budgets, and strategically decide when to use premium processing.
- Partnering with a firm like VisaMadeEZ can help ensure you are using premium processing effectively while navigating evolving immigration rules.
If you are a healthcare organization planning to hire international nurses or an overseas nurse exploring U.S. immigration options, contact VisaMadeEZ to discuss how these upcoming USCIS premium processing fee changes may affect your plans and how to structure a strategy that keeps your timelines and staffing goals on track.
