I received some sad news recently. It came as a shock. It made me think about what is happening in the US these days. And it made me think about what isn’t happening too.
The news I received came in the form of an email. The person who sent it is among the most impressive young people I know. I had reached out to him to catch up with his new life. After graduating from a highly ranked university he landed a great job in New York.
I have known him for quite some time. His sister had attended the same school before he did and I have known the family for many years. The family had been very helpful to me and to education.
Let me try to explain. His family owns a business. The student’s grandfather founded it. He had started small but through immense effort and a lot of savvy and smarts, he’d turned it into a thriving business. It has expanded so much that it now encompasses many different types of businesses. The family offered to provide internships and mentoring for domestic students interested in their business. They did this out of a genuine wish to help students and to create relationships between schools and businesses.
Here is a part of the email I received:
I actually WAS enjoying being out in the world, doing the whole NYC thing but it seems I will actually have to go back to (name of country deleted). I was notified yesterday that my H1-B visa petition was not selected in the lottery and will therefore have to leave the country. I had assumed my work visa to be guaranteed so this has all come up as a big surprise and now I must figure out what my next step will be.
For those who are not aware of the current situation for those people who have come to the US for their education, done exceptionally well, and obtained jobs at prestigious companies, here are some stats. This year approximately 170,000 people applied for approval to obtain the H-1 work visa. This number represents a dramatic increase from the 124,000 filed last year. The lottery for spaces is just that. People who are eligible for the visa enter a lottery. In this case, the chances of wining are less than 50%. While this does not compare to the odds of wining at Powerball, it does indicate that US policy will keep out half of the best and brightest students and employees from around the world.
Many may think this is a good idea. The jobs will then go to US citizens rather than foreign nationals. If this were a simple give and take then this would be a justified argument. But as Jon Huntsman, Presidential candidate for the Republican Party said in a speech last year, the issue of visa restrictions is terribly troubling because people who have exceptional skills, who are wealth and job creators are not permitted to stay in the US. Exceptionally bright and motivated students who are recruited by top firms will will, directly or indirectly, create jobs. Not only will they expand the profits of their companies, they may create new businesses. I have commented about this issue before but I raise it again as the situation is only likely to get worse.
Colleges and universities across the US have been importing international students for many years. In the last decade however, the number has skyrocketed. The economic growth of China in articular has brought over 100,000 undergrads students from China. At that number will continue to grow. Maybe. Schools want to enroll international students for several reasons. They bring a global perspective that adds to the education of others. Many of the students are exceptionally talented academically. I have seen international students obtain top honors from their universities, acceptance to top graduate programs, and top jobs in IT, finance, consulting etc. I have posted profiles and interviews with a number them on this blog. Their backgrounds and abilities make them outstanding employees for companies looking to grow in global markets. These traits are important, but other factors may even be more important for some colleges and universities.
Almost all these students pay full fees. For those in the US, over 40% of domestic students now receive some form of tuition discount from private schools. Not so for international students. Schools depend on their tuition dollars for many reasons. Some need the money to stay afloat. Berkeley, on the other hand, uses the money to help low income students attend the school. International students are subsidizing the education of US citizens. This cycle may seem to benefit everyone, but the cycle may come to an end. If it does, then it will cost many jobs and enforce lost opportunities for those who need it most.
If the students coming to the US begin to think the odds are slim for their job prospects after graduation, then they may well decide to go elsewhere-Canada, Australia, The UK etc. The world is a big place and other countries are recruiting students too. If the number of international students falls, schools will be in significant difficulty. If schools begin to cut budgets, jobs will be lost. Some schools may have to close. Low-income students may no longer be able to receive aid. The repercussions of international students deciding that a US education is not worth the investment don’t end there. The global marketplace will continue and those who cannot stay in the US may use their connections to create partnerships, jobs, and new ties with other countries instead. Business transcends borders. If I were parent of an international student, I would have to think carefully about whether investing 250,000 for an education with limited future job prospects in the US would be worth it. I doubt I would be alone in thinking this.
I am also sad about something else. Colleges and universities, as I have pointed out, have been recruiting international students like never before. Many schools travel the world promoting their education and the many opportunities that await students. The schools have benefited in innumerable ways from the presence of international students.
I have a question however. Have college and university presidents been public advocates for increasing the number of work visas? Aside from a petition signed by prestigious colleges and universities several years ago, I have not seen an op-ed piece or a united front on the part of the admiration of colleges and universities on behalf of the important group of students. It may be the leadership is afraid they will feel political repercussions should they advocate this way. They may well be correct.
But if they are protecting themselves in this way, then I would at least advocate that any schools now recruiting international students make sure they convey clearly have difficult it is to stay in the US after graduation. They need to be clear that many companies won't even hire international students as it costs money and piles of paperwork to do so. They should be clear that even obtaining internships is far harder for international students. They should also make sure that international students have the data that report what happens to international students after they graduate. Colleges and universities like to say they put students first. If this is so, then they should commit to trying to advocate for their students and if they can’t do this, then at least they should commit to providing accurate and detailed information to any international student considering applying to their academic programs.
There are greater misfortunes that happen to people every day than not being able to stay in the US, but I see that our current policies will hurt both the students and the US. I am sad that the person I described above must leave. Fortunately, I know how bright he is and how he will find a great job back home. Sending the best and brightest packing does not seem useful to me and I hope there are leaders in government and education who might agree with me.
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