International Students’ Anxiety Under the Trump Administration

There’s no hope for international students in the U.S. after graduation this era under the Trump administration. The current American strict visa rules have made it a little harder for international students to get working visas and carry on with the studies and work in the U.S after they graduate.
Post-graduates international students are able to obtain a 12 months employment under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. STEM degree holders (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), however, may request an extension for up to 24 months under the OPT rules. After the program is over, they are able to request for working visas. However, under the Trump administration, it’s getting harder to obtain a working visa and stay in the U.S. after graduation. Some policy changes have affected the F-1 visa, which allows international students to stay after graduation to pursue additional training. Therefore, many international students may either try applying for a working visa or return to their home countries after graduation.
In 2017, President Donald Trump called for changes to the H-1B Visa program for highly-skilled workers. “They’re taking our jobs. They’re taking our money. They’re killing us.” He says that it takes away American jobs.
But does it really the case? Aren’t those are jobs that can’t be filled by American workers? Aren’t they a part of the U.S. economy? They are all a big part of the U.S. economy and society.
“The only hope for the US was the students in tech who study at the top universities and contribute to the frontier, but now we don’t even have any hope to chase our dreams here that I used to have when I moved here. Many of my international friends moved to other countries such as Canada, Australia, Europe, and Asian countries after they graduated where the costs are lower, and the nuisance value is less.” Joohye, international students from Korea, said. She is doing her master’s program in fashion merchandise at California State University, Northridge.
A lot of international students came to study in America having their hope and dream for the future. According to the study from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the reasons why international students chose to study abroad in the U.S. is because of employment, social-economic, and other opportunities that may not be available in their home countries, and they believe that studying in the U.S. offers them a better employment opportunity after graduation and an opportunity to fulfill their immigration aspirations.
However, according to the study from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, because of the contraction of post-graduate work opportunities under the Trump administration, students have redirected their energies towards distinguishing their resumes, choosing particular degree programs, and considering moving back home or pursuing a doctorate.
“I was applying for like 5 positions every day. Out of around 50 positions, only 3 called me back for interviews. I felt like there’s no more reason I want to stay in this country. I don’t want to imagine myself spend ten years just doing dishes.” Joohye said. “I think I need to give up my dream working here, but I would go back to my home country and get a job with my master’s. But I feel like I wasted my time having hope and dream here for the past few years…”
There’s another issue which makes international students staying in the U.S. more difficult. There’s been an increase in tuition fees for international students, even though there are new ways to punish students who violate the conditions of their visas.
If this difficult situation for international students continues, many of them will decide to study abroad in other countries where the cost is low and there will be less international students in the U.S. and this country might struggle because of a need for more faculty members and money to pay them, and ballooning student services. The U.S. government needs to reconsider current visa rules for international students and consider that they have been contributing to the U.S economy as a part of a member of society.