The Office of Workforce Development supports physicians with a Maryland sponsored J-1 Visa Waiver for a National Interest Waiver (NIW). The NIW requires foreign physicians to work for five (5) years in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in Maryland.

In order to apply for lawful permanent residence, all immigrant applicants are required to obtain approval from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for immigrant status classification. An individual may be eligible for employment based second preference classification waiver of the job offer and labor certification requirements if it is determined that his or her work is in the “national interest.”​