Wisconsin Conrad 30 Waiver Program: General Information

For the upcoming 2023-2024 cycle, Applications must be both emailed directly to the Primary Care Program Coordinator and one copy mailed to 1 W. Wilson Street, Room 218. No in-person courier services will be allowed due to COVID-19. Applications can be submitted by September 1, 2023, but will not be reviewed until October 1, 2023.

All applicants who qualify for a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) waiver must utilize that program for a waiver recommendation. It is the responsibility of the applicant to determine eligibility for a HHS waiver.
The physician's national provider identifier (NPI) number must be listed on the cover letter of the application packet if applicable.

Notice: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that starting June 26, the agency will resume the Premium Processing for all H-1B petitions filed for medical doctors under the Conrad 30 Waiver program, as well as interested government agency waivers. Please visit USCIS for further details.

Graduates of foreign medical schools can obtain a J-1 visa (education exchange visa) to attend a medical residency or fellowship training program in the U.S. This J-1 visa requires that upon completion of the training program, the foreign physician returns to his or her home country for at least two years, before applying for immigrant status to the U.S. The foreign physician can have this J-1 visa "home-residence" requirement waived, in return for providing primary care or general mental health care in federally designated rural and urban communities that have shortages of primary care physicians or psychiatrists. Foreign physicians usually apply for J-1 visa waivers in the summer before the last year of their training program.

Federal immigration law authorizes each state health department to request waivers of the two-year "home-residence" requirement on behalf of 30 foreign J-1 visa physicians annually.

Of the 30 total slots, the state health department can recommend up to 10 placements (known colloquially as “flex” placements) in areas that are not designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) or Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/Ps). To qualify, clinicians must serve populations in surrounding shortage area(s) or meet the required extenuating criteria (see Program Description).

Wisconsin's J-1 waiver program can also consider recommending a J-1 visa waiver for foreign physicians in other medical specialties when exceptional need and public interest can be demonstrated.

Between 2005 and 2015, the Wisconsin Conrad 30 Waiver program helped medical clinics in Wisconsin recruit 206 foreign physicians to increase access to primary care and general mental health care in rural and urban shortage areas throughout the state. This program is coordinated with the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security – Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Please contact the Primary Care Program for inquiries on available waiver slots.