The U.S. has been battling a shortage of healthcare worker for years. To fill the void, it's recruited a record number of nurses from the Philippines. But labor and migrant rights activists say many are being exploited.

Manila

The United States has been facing a persistent shortage of healthcare workers, a situation that has led to the country recruiting a significant number of nurses from the Philippines to address this deficit. This effort to mitigate the healthcare worker shortage in the U.S. has seen a record number of Filipino nurses being hired to work in various healthcare settings across the nation.

However, concerns have been raised by labor and migrant rights activists regarding the treatment of these Filipino nurses. They allege that many of the recruited nurses from the Philippines are being exploited. The accusations of exploitation cast a shadow on the recruitment efforts, suggesting that the conditions or terms under which these nurses are employed may not be fair or just.



 Filipino nurses in U.S. say they are being exploited

Like many Filipino nurses, Kay Orendas wants to work in the United States. She's one step closer after passing the license exam. The grass is greener and the house is bigger like that. But what many call the American dream has turned out to be a nightmare for Ariel. He's asked us to conceal his identity for fear of repercussions. He says Filipino nurses have heavier workloads than local staff. They're treating us like a slave and then like for us we are like a cheap labor. Say for example you have four or five patients and then you'll see those who are working here. I mean those people who are from here and they were just sitting in the station. If a patient dies, nurses risk losing their license to practice in the U.S. Ariel says he wanted out but couldn't leave because his contract required him to pay $40,000 in damages if he quit early even though he covered his own immigration and travel expenses. He also says his recruiter, Ray Raval of Professionals to USA, threatened him. The company refused our request for comment. Activists say these practices amount to human trafficking and forced labor. Threats of deportation, threats of reputational damage, all of those threats of serious harm can be enough to compel somebody to continue to provide those services. Ariel isn't alone. In recent years, recruitment agencies have filed lawsuits against Filipino nurses for breach of contract. But the nurses are fighting back. Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, where Ariel worked, told us it's aware of the case involving Professionals to USA and is reviewing its relationships with recruiters. The U.S. Labor Department has sued at least one agency for forcing nurses to pay for projected future profits. Professional nurse recruiters say a breach fee is standard in contracts as it's for recouping expenses incurred by the recruitment agency or healthcare facility. But that amount has to be reasonable. One study in 2022 predicted the U.S. will need an additional 450,000 nurses by 2025, a gap Filipinos are eager to fill, but one that could leave them vulnerable to abuse. Barnabello, Aljazeera, Manila.

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