According to the Centre of Immigration Studies report, the US visas being issued to Indian students declined 62% last year. This has impacted the international students’ enrollment in US universities and is likely to ripple through the US job market. Indian and Chinese students are the highest number of enrolled foreign students in the US colleges and universities. About 3,63,019 Indian students and 2,65,919 Chinese students enrolled for higher education at these universities in 2024-25 academic year, which is almost 53% of international students enrollment.
The report has also highlighted the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme. Through the programme, international students have the option of working after graduation from US universities. Many foreign students, especially STEM students, account for a large share of US workforce who participate in the OPT programme. The decline in F-1 visas can reduce the number of graduates entering the US workforce.
US universities are also feeling the shift in their budget offices. Elite universities have a diverse applicant pool and can absorb the shock due to this decline but regional and public universities with large Indian populations are at the receiving end of this huge shift. Carnegie Mellon has the highest number of Indian student enrollments with about 1,700 students followed by Harvard and John Hopkins. At the University of Michigan- Dearborn, vice chancellor for business affairs blamed the declining enrollment due to F-1 visa terminations and pause on F-1 applications and said that a USD 6 million to USD 7 million shortfall in its 2026-2027 budget is expected.
Punjab has been historically known as the hub for study abroad migration, but the local authorities have been cancelling the licenses of visa consultancies and IELTS coaching institutes and some are facing criminal cases after the US Embassy raised issues with fraudulent work experience and forged education documents which were submitted on visa application files.
Educational consultants who have pivoted to the newer trends are gaining popularity. As Canada and US both have tightened the visa disposals, the companies have rerouted their India students to other international countries including Germany. Spain introduced EduBridge to Spain programme to target the international students displaced from American and British markets, and allowing them to work for 30 hours a week.
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