Conrad State 30 Program
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) participates in the State 30 program in order to increase access to needed health care services for certain underserved areas, or where there is a shortage of primary care physicians. ODH will review applications in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) as well as placements in certain areas designated as Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs). Generally, the program can recommend up to 30 J-1 waivers per fiscal year where the foreign medical graduate will be practicing in an HPSA and MUA. Another 10 “FLEX” spots may be available depending on the type of patient mix and access to care.
This program is most commonly sought by Departments seeking to obtain a J-1 waiver for a foreign medical graduate who is a candidate for a prospective Assistant Professor or Physician position. If granted, this may avoid the two-year home country residency requirement for the Beneficiary, resulting in the University’s ability to file an H-1B petition for the prospective employee.
OISSS will assist the sponsoring Department in obtaining appointed counsel, who will then provide legal advice as to the entire process. Once counsel is appointed, the College or Department will be charged with the responsibility of filling out the Ohio State 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program Application Packet as well as any other required forms, such as form DS-3035, and to submit the form to the attorney. The College or Department will provide all information directly to the attorney, as well as being solely responsible for being aware of deadlines and regulations.
The application process and the timeline vary year to year, and the Department is advised to consult with their assigned attorney as early as possible to discuss the details. The University of Toledo generally only sponsors a limited number of Conrad Waiver applications per year.
This waiver is never a guarantee regardless of sponsorship, and the Department should perform their due diligence regarding whether or not their application will qualify. Sponsorship will be contingent upon the application qualifying as well as University stakeholders coming to a consensus on supporting an application where there are multiple departments or interest from the Health Science Campus.
For more information, please see OISSS's J-1 Visa Waiver Fees and Procedures page.