Visa scrutiny and uncertain job prospects prompt foreign students to rethink US plans

Cindy Gong, a 23-year-old Northwestern University graduate, began looking for jobs last year and will finish her degree this summer.

She has heard from international alumni that some companies have stopped sponsoring visas, and she has noticed more job listings explicitly stating this – a shift from what she’d seen previously, according to Bloomberg.

"I’m considering returning to China," said Gong, who has lived in the U.S. for nearly ten years. "But I feel more at ease here – I’m used to the work culture and everyday life."

Around 900,000 international students are currently studying at U.S. universities, and the muddy future of the H-1B visa program, which allows companies to employ skilled foreign workers, is making many of them uncertain whether to remain in the country or to leave.

Some foreign students are struggling to secure jobs as companies decline to sponsor their visa.

Among them is Anomitro Paul, an Indian-born who has interned in a robotics subsidiary of Amazon and trading powerhouse Susquehanna International Group.

Despite having a desirable CV, Paul told Bloomberg that he has applied to 400 jobs and only received 15 responses.

"It's been tough," said the 23-year-old. "A lot of companies auto-reject you the moment you say you need sponsorship."

After a long search, he eventually secured a job in artificial intelligence.

Trump, in his second term, has introduced a series of immigration policies, including mass deportations, proposals to eliminate birthright citizenship, and the use of an 1798 act to expel individuals deemed threats.

Although Trump has voiced support for the H-1B visa program, these measures could discourage students from coming to or remaining in the U.S.

"There is a lot of apprehension right now about what the future looks like for international students who want to stay in the U.S.," said Erica Kryst, executive director of Cornell University career services.

"It is always a little harder for international students, it is always difficult to find companies who sponsor."

Scrutiny under Trump has urged two Ivy League institutions to advise their students to not leave the country as some observers fear the possibility of a travel ban, according to CNBC.

Brown University recommends that its international students reassess any travel plans. Professors at Yale Law School have suggested that international students currently outside the U.S. think about returning, while those in the country refrain from departing.

The warnings stem from potential issues like delays in visa processing at U.S. consulates abroad (such as in India), the return of strict vetting procedures, and a rise in secondary inspections, including possible detention at U.S. airports upon reentry.

Any changes to the H-1B visa program would affect many Indians, who made up 73% of approvals in fiscal year 2023.

Millions of Indian nationals residing, working, or studying in the U.S. possess Green Cards, H-1B visas, or F-1 visas (which allows non-U.S. citizens to pursue full-time academic studies at an accredited U.S. educational institution).

But even people with these credentials are now facing increased scrutiny at U.S. entry points upon their return. While permanent residents and those with valid visas need not fear for their legal status or work authorization, these intensified inspections are likely to challenge their patience, according to global news network NDTV.

The heightened scrutiny follows Trump’s announcement of plans to limit or block entry from 43 countries. Among India’s neighbors, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bhutan are included on this list.

Even though most international students consider their high tuition fee an investment and seek to work in the country to recoup their financial cost, most of them have to go through a complex process to be authorized to work in the U.S.

Graduates with a degree in a STEM field (science, technology, engineering, or math) can work for up to three years, during the period they can try to secure an H-1B visa but this requires costly sponsorship that many employers avoid.

Even when sponsorship is offered, the visa lottery offers just a 25% chance of success. Data from Revelio Labs shows that nearly one-third of international students leave the U.S. within a year of graduating, and fewer than 60% remain after five years.

Major corporations like Amazon, Google, and Meta heavily utilize the H-1B program, which can lead to permanent residency. Over the past ten years, more than 600,000 H-1B visa holders have been in the U.S. at any given time, earning a median salary of $118,000 as of 2023.

The potential plunge in foreign students number might hurt universities, which have been counting on their full tuition as a reliable revenue stream amid potential budget cuts.

"Foreign students are not just supporting the campus financially; they’re boosting the surrounding community," said Miriam Feldblum, president and CEO of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.

"In Trump’s first term, we saw local businesses – car dealerships, housing, and various services – suffer as a result."