The chief of the West Virginia Hospital Association expressed concern over potential Trump administration changes to temporary, non-immigrant visas intended to let U.S. employers hire foreign workers with specialty skills.

“We are very, very concerned about that barrier — getting foreign trained providers into the United States,” Jim Kaufman, president of the association, said on MetroNews Talkline.

“West Virginia, rural communities all across the country, use those programs to try to improve access. I know there has been talk in D.C. about exempting out healthcare, but we have not seen anything at this point.”

President Trump signed a proclamation late last month calling for a $100,000 annual fee on organizations for each individual working under an H-1B visa. The current fee is $215.

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