EB-2 Physician National Interest Waiver 

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The Physician National Interest Waiver (PNIW) is a green card category created by Congress to recognize that physicians working in underserved areas of the United States serve the national interest. The EB-2 PNIW typically requires a job offer and labor certification. The EB-2 PNIW waives that requirement, but the physician must agree to work full-time in a medically underserved area. To qualify, a physician must work five years in an area designated by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as having a shortage of physicians. Generally, the five-year commitment must be stated plainly in an employment agreement, and the physician must complete the five years of service prior to receiving a green card. If the physician will be self-employed, he or she may execute an affidavit detailing their plans to establish the practice.

  

A PNIW application must be accompanied by a letter from the relevant state’s department of health detailing how the physician’s work serves the “public interest.” States may support an unlimited number of PNIWs in a given year. Each state has its own rules and procedures for issuing PNIW support letters, so it is important to consult those rules before pursuing a PNIW petition.