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AFTER NEARLY THREE YEARS, PHYSICAL THERAPIST 
Under Section 343 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, alien health care workers seeking admission to the United States are not permitted entry unless the alien presents to a consular officer or INS officer a certificate from an independent credentialing organization approved by the INS. The law went into effect immediately and all visa processing for most health care workers came to a halt. Expectations that the INS would quickly issue regulations to resume the flow of health care immigration were dashed as time dragged on and on with no regulations. 
Last October, the agency finally issued regulations allowing nurses and occupational therapists to immigrate. But other health care occupations would have to wait. 
Under a new rule published on April 30th, the INS will now allow the immigration physical therapists and therapists. The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy and the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools will each have the authority to issue certificates to physical therapists. The rule only applies to permanent residency applications, not temporary applications. Those applications will be processed under the temporary rules that have been in effect for the last few years.
The new rule also states appropriate exams and minimum English test scores for physical therapists. They are as follows:
Test of English as a Foreign Language – paper-based 560, computer-based 220
Test of Written English: 4.5
Test of Spoken English – 50
The new rule will be effective 60 days from April 30th. According to the INS, a more comprehensive proposed rule is in the works.