A burning concern

The anti-immigration policies of the new dispensation in the US seem to spoil the ‘American dream’ of hundreds of thousands of migrating students.

- KDP RAO

‘The anti-immigration policies of the new dispensation in the US seem to spoil the ‘American dream’ of hundreds of thousands of migrating students.

High rates of denials of H-1B visas as witnessed during President ‘Trump's first term, may resurface making migration extremely difficult. Besides, it is also feared that restrictive changes in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension for STEM graduates (the main post-graduation work opportunity), and shortening of visa duration (F-1 visa) as opposed to "duration of status" policy (i.e. stay as long as one needs to in the status of a student), may ruin career prospects of the migrant students.

Currently, according to the Open Doors Report, out of around 2,70,000 Indian students in the US only about 69,000 are enrolled in OPT.