In November, we released an article detailing what to expect as an international student moving forward as President Joe Biden took office. We are now nearly 100 days into his administration and wanted to summarize how the landscape has changed during this period.
As stated in the initial article, enacting policy change in the U.S. is a long and drawn-out process. There hasn’t been a lot done yet for international students directly from the top of the government but the overall change in mindset regarding foreign visitors to the U.S. has allowed for some important changes to be enacted and promising proposals to gain momentum.
Though things in the U.S. are still settling down with the new administration and as we continue to battle COVID-19, there are things for all foreign visitors to look forward to. We summarize more about the governmental changes and the overall outlook for international students in the coming months below.
How Policies Are Changing
Actions Taken:
Flexibility to make up for delays in OPT processing- As many international students understand, regular OPT applications are only valid for 12 months (though STEM applicants have the option to apply for an additional 12-month extension). This 12-month employment program is typically required to end within 14 months of your graduation to be eligible for approval. With complications from COVID-19 causing paperwork to pile up, the USCIS was beginning to have delays that caused issues in OPT holders fulfilling this requirement.
To make up for this, the rule has temporarily been changed so the 12-month program needs to end within 14 months of when the EAD is approved, giving those who applied/are applying for OPT a better chance to finish their program in time and not face complications. The USCIS is also now allowing for online OPT applications, which should help with processing times.
Dreamers Bill Passing– 12-month program needs to end within 14 months of when the EAD is approved, which would allow a path for undocumented immigrant children to eventually become a U.S. citizen, recently passed when voted on in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill was initially put forth by Biden in the first week of his term.
Though this change doesn’t have a substantial amount of value for international students, it does at least show Biden is following up on his promises and the landscape is more positive for pro-immigration bills. This bill still needs to pass in the Senate but will be a good sign moving forward.
Four-year time limit for F1 visa not passed– Another positive update is that the proposed four-year limit for F1 visas was never able to pass in time, which means that the duration for F1 visas will be for as long as the holder’s academic program. Seeing how delayed and complicated applying for a new visa/extension is right now, this helps save international students who plan to do post-graduation studies a lot of hassle.
Proposals to Follow Moving Forward
U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 proposal– In February, senator Bob Mendez and representative Laura Sanchez introduced a 353-page bill named the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. The bill includes a variety of changes that would assist foreign visitors in the U.S., including international students. There are two things proposed in this bill, in particular, to focus on:
- Allowing F1 visa applicants to apply with “double intent” – Currently, students coming to the U.S. are asked to come with “single intent”, which indicates that they plan to study abroad and then return home after graduation. This provision has led to a large amount of visa denials as applicants were not able to provide sufficient evidence that they only intended to study. This new provision would allow for applicants to “double intent”, which promises to make it easier to be approved for a student visa as you can now express that you plan to find employment in the U.S. after your program and more importantly, not prove only single intent. This shows more support for the fact that many students like to keep their possibilities open after they receive their degrees.
- OPT extension for those applying for a green card- In another proposed move, F1 students applying for their green card would be allowed to apply for OPT in the meantime so they can work as they wait for approval. As of the moment, most students applying for a green card are forced to apply for H1B so they can keep working while they wait on their green card decision, which is expensive and can often take a lot of time. This new provision again creates a smoother process as students decide what they want to do with their time abroad and can save on the costs the H1B application process can bring.
– Travel bans lifting by end of spring- One of the main issues for international students since the pandemic began is the travel restrictions that the U.S. has implemented to prevent the spread. It has made travel very difficult and affected many students’ abilities to go home and see their families in fear of visa complications when they try to return.
Biden has already ended the travel ban to Muslim countries that Trump implemented and believes we could see restrictions lift as early as mid-May for countries in the UK, Europe, Brazil and more as COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available. This shows more promising signs towards flexibility and a return to normalcy for international students.
Confucius Institutes- Though we have focused on the positives for international students, there are still some negative things taking place based on tensions from the actions of the Trump administration and the current political climate in the U.S. The biggest example of this is the movement against Confucius Institutes.
Confucius Institutes are Chinese-backed programs at American universities that promote information about Chinese culture. Oftentimes, they are run by researchers from China and receive funding from the government. For many Chinese students, these institutes help them learn more about their culture and provide a community for them as they spend their time in the U.S.
Tensions between the U.S. and China have caused many to believe these institutes are propaganda for the Chinese government and are security risks to the American people. Congress recently proposed a law that would require the American universities to have full control over these institutes, which will probably lead to many of them closing if passed. Though Biden has expressed his support for these institutes, it is disappointing to see tensions continuing to cause issues for the international student community.
Broader Outlook
A more positive attitude from international students- As stated in the initial article, the election of Joe Biden should’ve been a welcome sign for international students. In surveys completed since then, more than three-quarters of 800 prospective international students (76 percent) have improved perceptions of the US since the 2020 Presidential Election, with 67 percent stating they are now more likely to study here.
This positive outlook should be a promising sign that international enrollment numbers can bounce back and further illustrates that it is definitely a time to be optimistic!
More in-person classes for schools with a high number of international enrollments– Studies done on how schools are handling the reopening process have shown that schools with more international students are making more focused efforts to open face-to-face instruction to better accommodate those coming from beyond the borders.
Many schools rely on international students and the impact of the pandemic will continue to make it crucial for them to take the international student community’s needs into account.
Vaccine Requirements– Many schools are still weighing decisions on what their policy will be for COVID-19 vaccination requirements. The decision on whether or not vaccines will be mandatory is a big decision that schools will probably implement at least partially to keep their students safe.
Rutgers University was the first school to announce a U.S.-approved COVID-19 vaccination will be mandatory for students attending during the 2021-22 school year. Other schools, such as Syracuse University and Drexel University, are now offering or will offer vaccines for students. Some of these actions may receive backlash but will allow for things to come closer to returning to normalcy.
– Grant opportunities and relief- For students dealing with financial burdens, there are more opportunities for relief, including through bodies such as the Institute for International Education. There have also been talks about potentially adding some financial relief in future stimulus bills from the U.S. government. Continue to keep an eye out for available options and follow us on social media where we will post any aid opportunities we find!
– Stopping Asian Hate– It needs to be said that the biggest priority right now is to find ways to make the U.S. a more inclusive space for all foreign visitors, especially those from Asian countries facing discrimination. We at ISO want to express our support for the Asian community and promise to do our part to continue to support the international student community as a whole.
Read more about how you can take action against Asian Hate here: https://stopaapihate.org/
