Foreign doctors working in the Sunshine State could expedite the process to legally remain in the country
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ signing of SB 7016 marks a significant change for foreign doctors and healthcare professionals in the state.
The new law signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis offers a significant opportunity for foreign doctors and healthcare professionals seeking to obtain a green card or legal permanent residency in the state.
SB 7016 will take effect on July 1 of this year.
By joining the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC), the law streamlines the process of revalidating degrees and obtaining licenses for these professionals, eliminating the need to prove residency.
This opens the door for many to apply for employment visas in Florida, including the EB-1 for individuals with extraordinary abilities, the EB-2 for professionals with advanced degrees, and the EB-3 for skilled workers.
To apply for the IMLC under this new law, interested parties must meet a series of established requirements, including holding a full and unrestricted medical license in a Compact member state, having graduated from an accredited medical school, successfully completed graduate medical education, passed the USMLE, COMLEX-USA, or equivalent exams, and hold a current specialty certification.
These criteria ensure a standard of competence and training for those who wish to benefit.
Doctors benefiting from the program must not have any history of disciplinary actions against their medical license, have a clean criminal record, must not be under investigation, and also must not have any history of controlled substance actions against their medical license.
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