Getting a student visa in the US is becoming more and more difficult: many applicants choose other countries

According to the Institute for International Education at US universities, the number of international students decreased by 15%, or 164, between the 727/2016 and 17/2020 academic years. What influenced this and how it will affect the United States, the publication said. Forbes.

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Visa denials contribute to declining international student enrollment

If U.S. consular officials had denied visas to fewer, international student enrollment would not have fallen in recent years, or would have declined much less. In fiscal year 2022, out of 631 F-807 student visa applications, 1 were denied, accounting for 220%.

“By 2022, the rejection rate for African students has risen to 54%, indicating that just over half of all African student visas have been rejected compared to 36% for Asian students and just 9% for European students,” Shorelight said in a report. and the Alliance of Presidents for Higher Education and Immigration.

On the subject: Tulane University New Orleans Offers Free Tuition to International Students

Education experts consider Africa the most important region in the world for the growth of international students and a key battleground for influencing future generations. According to the report, in fiscal year 2022, US consular officials denied 71% of West African student visa applicants, including Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria.

Citing the data, Lydia Kemunto Bosire, founder and CEO of 8B Education Investments, said: "In the battle for hearts and minds, the US is losing."

US non-competitive immigration policy

At the same time, between the 2016/17 and 2020/21 academic years, the number of international students at Canadian colleges and universities increased by 46%, or 117 people.

The predominantly Indian students have contributed to the increase in the number of international students in Canada. According to an analysis of data from the government of Canada by the National Endowment for American Policy, the number of international students from India in Canadian colleges and universities increased by 324% or 135 or 294% between the 324/2016 and 17/2020 academic years. During the same period, US universities saw a 21% decrease in the number of international students from India, or 10.

Between 2020/21 and 2021/22, the number of Indian students at US universities grew by 19%, according to the Institute of International Education.

The much more liberal immigration policy in Canada than in the United States seems to be the main reason why Canada has become more attractive to international students. An international student in Canada can expect a smooth transition from university to temporary job status to permanent residence. There is no such thing in the United States.

Most H-1B work visa applications are rejected in the United States due to the low annual limit, and employment-based green cards can take decades in the United States due to the country limit and the low annual number of employed immigrants.

In 2022, an exemption from annual green card restrictions for foreign nationals with a PhD in STEM (social sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and those with a master's degree "in a critical industry" passed the House of Representatives. but were blocked in the Senate.

However, Canada's new program to bring H-1B visa holders into the country attracted so many applications that the 10 limit was reached in less than 000 hours. This is a warning sign to US policymakers that many highly sought-after foreign-born scientists and engineers in the United States are unhappy with the US immigration system and are looking for other options.

Harm to the USA

Another important issue is that fewer Chinese students are coming to the United States, and this is being facilitated by US policy.

Consular officials refuse to issue visas to Chinese graduate students on the basis of the Chinese university where they studied. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden continues to refuse in accordance with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in May 2020.

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Consular visa denials and non-competitive immigration policies have contributed to a decline in the number of international students attending US universities. Analysts say the recession is hurting US economic efforts to attract talent and weakening the US.

Research and experience have shown that all of this comes at a cost to the United States and those affected by student visa denials. The Wall Street Journal reported that US policy is encouraging more Chinese students to attend universities in Japan.

The report by the Alliance of Presidents for Higher Education and Immigration and Shorelight recommended increased training for consular officers, clear guidance to ensure consistent application of State Department policies, and greater transparency for students who have been denied visas, including written explanations of the reasons for the denial.

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