{"id":24580,"date":"2026-10-08T13:24:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T07:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianeagle.com\/traveldiary\/?p=24580"},"modified":"2026-10-08T13:24:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T07:54:20","slug":"h1d-visa-proposal-direct-care-workers-usa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.indianeagle.com\/traveldiary\/h1d-visa-proposal-direct-care-workers-usa\/","title":{"rendered":"H-1D Visa Proposal: What It Could Mean for Direct-Care Workers in the US"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"H-1D
Source: ChatGPT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The United States faces a growing need for direct-care workers as more older adults and people with disabilities require long-term support. A new H-1D visa proposal could create an additional pathway for direct-care workers, including home health aides, personal care aides, and nursing assistants, to support this demand. If approved and implemented, the H-1D visa could help expand the direct-care workforce and improve access to care for older and disabled adults across the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is the Proposed H-1D Visa?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The H-1D visa is a proposed temporary employment-based visa for direct-care workers. Tara Watson of the Brookings Institution proposed the H-1D as one possible way to increase the number of workers available to care for older adults and people with disabilities. The proposal is modeled in part on the H-1B visa’s administrative structure but focuses on direct-care work rather than specialty occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher. The program could cover both eligible immigrants already living in the United States and workers entering from other countries. Its goal would be to supplement the domestic workforce and address the projected direct-care worker shortage while protecting against wage undercutting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Does the US Need More Direct-Care Workers?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Demand for long-term care is increasing as the US population ages. More than 20 million adults in the United States need long-term care or support with daily activities because of disabilities or functional limitations associated with aging. At the same time, healthcare providers have struggled to recruit and retain enough workers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Staffing challenges became particularly serious during and after the pandemic, when the direct-care sector experienced recruitment and retention difficulties. Brookings projects that the number of Americans aged 65 and older with disabilities could increase by more than 6 million over the next decade. Meeting the additional care needs could require about 1.28 million more direct-care workers, representing roughly a 35% increase over today’s direct-care workforce.<\/span><\/p>\n

Which Workers Could Qualify for the H-1D Visa?<\/b><\/h3>\n

The proposed H-1D direct-care worker visa would focus on direct-care work supporting older adults and people with disabilities. Direct-care occupations include:<\/span><\/p>\n