House immigration bill would create guest worker program

Nursing home providers are praising a new immigration reform bill that calls for a temporary guest worker program.

“While we are still in the process of reviewing this bill in its entirety, we are wholly supportive of its guest worker and nursing-shortage language,” said Bruce Yarwood, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living.

U.S. Reps. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) introduced H.R. 1645, the Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy (STRIVE) Act. AHCA has previously expressed support of a guest worker program because it would allow more immigrants to fill nursing positions.