New Year's News
There are a few stories that are important and worth following in the next few weeks.  We highlight four of them on our Healthcare and Advocacy Blog.
http://hammondlawgroup.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-year-news.html

AP: Pentagon Liberalizes RN Residency and Nationality Rules
Struggling to find enough doctors, nurses and linguists for the war effort, the Pentagon will temporarily recruit foreigners who have been living in the United States on student and work visas, or with refugee or political asylum status.
http://www.examiner.com/a-1728265~AP_Exclusive__Pentagon_to_recruit_aliens_on_visas.html?cid=temp-popular

Reid Thinks Immigration Reform Could Happen This Term
Sen. Reid said: “On immigration, there's been an agreement between (President-elect Barack) Obama and (Arizona Republican Sen. John) McCain to move forward on that. ... We'll do that.”
http://www.freep.com/article/20081123/NEWS07/811230493/1009

US Nursing Supply Still Woefully Short
Yahoo News explains that even with unemployment reaching new highs, the nation’s healthcare system still cannot keep up with the supply shortages in nursing.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090105/ap_on_he_me/now_hiring_nurses;_ylt=ArpQ4QWXYtkLPoQNci.0CqdZ24cA

CGFNS Expands Into China
CGFNS International and The Health Human Resources Development Center (HHRDC) of the Ministry of Health, People’s Republic of China recently announced the signing of an agreement to strengthen nursing education and practice in China by introducing the International Standards for Professional Nurses (ISPN) program in China.
http://www.cgfns.org/sections/announcements/news/2008/12-17-08-china.shtml

FCCPT, CGFNS Price Increases
Readers are reminded that both FCCPT and CGFNS have raised prices as of January 1, 2009.

FCCPT: http://www.fccpt.org/forapplicants.html#Fee

CGFNS: http://www.cgfns.org/sections/announcements/news/2008/10-13-08-visascreen.shtml

POEA Looking for Lawyers
The POEA has recently posted several attorney vacancies on its website.  This nominally implies that they are expecting an uptick in visa work in 2009.
http://www.poea.gov.ph/Vacancies/12.09.08.htm