The Bush administration and a bipartisan group of senators have reached a pivotal agreement on immigration that would include a temporary worker program.

The measure would grant temporary legal status to virtually all illegal immigrants in the country, while allowing them to apply for residence visas and eventually citizenship. The compromise also would set up a temporary-worker program that would allow as many as 400,000 migrants into the country each year. Nursing home providers have praised a temporary-worker program because it would help to fill the ranks of direct care workers.

The Senate is expected to begin debate on the bill before Memorial Day and the House will consider its version of immigration legislation in July.