Philippine Ambassador to the United States (US) Jose Manuel Romualdez bared that there are at least 100,000 pending visas for Filipino health workers intended for deployment in the US.
Romualdez said these are nurses that have been approved to go to the US amid the "very high demand" for health workers in the US due to the high COVID-19 infection rate.
"There are quite a number of pending visas for nurses from the Philippines that I think is being considered now very seriously that they'd like to bring them over. Of course, these are nurses that have already been approved for moving to the US as health workers," Romualdez said in an interview on ANC Thursday, Jan. 13.
"So I would think that probably at least 100,000 cases of visa for health workers that are pending right now to come to the US," the Philippine envoy added.
Romualdez further said that the demand for health workers and nurses in the US is "very, very high" and that some nurses associations in the foreign country have sought their help in getting their visas.
"The demand for health workers and nurses here in th US is very, very high and that's why there's quite a number of nurses associations here who have already asked us to help in getting their visas that have been asked for many of the hospitals here in the US," he said.
There are currently about 150,000 to 200,000 Filipino health workers in the US, the ambassador said, however "there seems to be a shortage mainly because of this new infection rate."
He also disclosed that the demand for Filipino nurses there is also high.
"Well yes. There's no doubt about that (there is a preference for Filipino nurses in the US).They are so much appreciated. The demand is high for Filipino nurses," Romualdez said.