The Conrad State 30 Program is scheduled to sunset on September 30, 2015. The Conrad 30 Program allows state health agencies to hire up to 30 foreign physicians annually to practice in medically underserved areas. In turn, these sponsored J-1 medical physicians can apply for a waiver for the 2-year residence requirement upon completion of the J-1 exchange visitor program if they work for a minimum of three years with the medically underserved areas. Even though the program has existed since 1994 and has been extended by Congress several times, the current reauthorization expires on September 30, 2015.
Historically, Congress has reauthorized the Conrad 30 Program each time it has been set to expire. U.S. This year, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) have proposed legislation not only to reauthorize the Conrad 30 program, but also to improve it. The bill, "Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act," S.1189, would, among other things, remove the sunset provisions, clarify requirements of the Physician National Interest Waiver classification, and make important technical fixes to the program including confirming the ability of J-2 spouses to change status to classifications other than H-4.
If the Program is not reauthorized by September 30, 2015 and does sunset, it does not mean that the Conrad Program will immediately shut down. States will still be able to support waiver applications for J-1 physicians who were admitted in, or acquired, J-1 status before the sunset date. Failure to reauthorize the program affects the ability of J-1 physicians admitted in or acquiring J-1 status after the sunset.
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