Key Takeaways

Rural areas will be harder hit by new visa requirements that make it more expensive to bring in foreign doctorsRural areas have nearly twice the percentage of doctors working under H-1B visasForeign doctors fill critical gaps in primary care, experts say

MONDAY, Nov. 3, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A recent hike in U.S. visa fees could cause a medical brain drain in America’s rural regions.

Rural areas have nearly twice the percentage of medical professionals working under H-1B visas as urban counties, researchers reported Oct. 29 in the Journal of the American Medical Association .

Likewise, the percentage of H-1B doctors is nearly four times greater in impoverished counties compared to wealthy locales, researchers found.

“Our findings suggest that the most socioeconomical

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