Tougher Student Visa Rules Could Cost US Billions

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged the Trump administration to retain the existing visa framework for international students and scholars, warning that proposed restrictions could damage America’s technological edge, economic competitiveness and research leadership.

In a letter sent to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, four members of Congress cautioned against replacing the current “Duration of Status” system for F-1 and J-1 visa holders with a fixed four-year admission period.

The letter was signed by Representatives Sam Liccardo, Jay Obernolte, Maria Salazar and Raja Krishnamoorthi. The lawmakers said the current system provides flexibility for “long-term study, research, and workforce development in the United States,” especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programmes where doctoral studies often last beyond six years.

“International students play a key role in driving US competitiveness in advanced manufacturing, medical research, and other emerging technologies,” the lawmakers wrote. “If we evict them, they will return home to help foreign companies — in countries like China — compete against us.”

In their three-page letter, the Congressmen argued that a four-year cap would force many students to seek repeated visa extensions, leading to “unnecessary administrative burdens, processing delays, and disruptions to academic continuity”.

They also cited survey data showing that nearly half of international graduate students and postdoctoral researchers would not have chosen to study in the United States if such a fixed admission period had existed.

The letter stressed the economic contribution of foreign students to the US economy. International students contribute about $43 billion annually to local economies and support more than 355,000 American jobs, they said.

“Building American businesses, goods, and job pipelines requires a team of vetted international scholars, students, and citizens who share a commitment to protecting and expanding America’s economic and technological prowess,” the members wrote.

The lawmakers warned that a decline in foreign STEM graduates could significantly weaken the US workforce.

“If the United States experiences even a one-third decline in foreign STEM graduates, the country could lose 6 to 11 per cent of its high-skilled STEM workforce,” the letter said. It added that such a decline could reduce US GDP by “$240 to $481 billion annually within a decade”.

The members acknowledged that the administration wants stronger oversight of foreign students and to prevent “foreign adversaries from exploiting the country’s universities”. But they argued that international students are already “among the most thoroughly vetted and continuously monitored nonimmigrant populations”.

The lawmakers pointed to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, which provides the Department of Homeland Security with “continuous, real-time monitoring” of foreign students and exchange visitors.

“We respectfully ask you to preserve Duration of Status and ensure efficient visa processing policies that support a stable environment for international students and scholars,” the letter said.