CASE STUDY: Reducing Vacancy & Contract Labor Through an International Direct Hire Strategy
September 24, 2026
CASE STUDY
Reducing Vacancy & Contract Labor Through an International Direct Hire Strategy
A regional nonprofit health system was working toward three clear workforce goals: improve clinician retention, reduce contract labor spend, and lower vacancy.
Rather than continuing to respond to workforce gaps as they arose, the organization took a longer view. Together with WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions, using H-1B and EB-3 visa pathways as part of a broader international direct hire strategy designed to build workforce stability over time.
The results were measurable: contract labor spend decreased 54.8%, RN vacancy fell from 6.49% to 2.15%, and clinician retention reached 95%.
In This Case Study:
- How workforce projections informed a consistent international hiring cadence
- The role international direct hire played in reducing reliance on contract labor
- How WWHS supported immigration, compliance, interviewing, onboarding, and clinical transition
- Where the strategy extended beyond RNs to other difficult-to-fill clinical roles
- What changed across vacancy, contract labor spend, and clinician retention
Featured Blogs
Recent court rulings have put H-1B recruitment back in focus for nonprofit hospitals seeking to fill specialized clinical positions.
Get a closer look at the FY2027 visa outlook, what shifting timelines mean for international hiring, and where to focus your workforce planning efforts.
Inside WWHS's international nurse recruitment events: how they work and what health systems can realistically expect.
Three international clinicians reflect on their journeys to the U.S. and the careers, milestones, and new opportunities that have followed.
The 75-country immigrant visa pause has been lifted following a federal court ruling. See what this means for healthcare employers.
WorldWide HealthStaff Solutions (WWHS) highlights how international nurse recruitment can help health systems build sustainable nursing pipelines.
Understanding priority dates, retrogression, and Visa Bulletin trends can help put monthly changes into perspective. Get the key takeaways from our webinar.
Global healthcare talent is becoming an increasingly important solution for healthcare workforce gaps across the U.S.
The DHS Final Public Charge Rule may pave the way for visa processing to resume. See what this update means for healthcare organizations recruiting internationally.
Two Midwest health systems strengthened their Med Surg workforce through long-term international nurse recruitment. This case study compares two pipeline strategies at different stages of maturity.