The New H-1B Selection Process Turns Out to be Unfavourable for Foreign Students

2021 has begun with unfortunate news. The H-1B selection process has turned out to be challenging for international students in the U.S. As for the final rules and regulations, students with work experience and a postgraduate degree who would otherwise qualify for the level 2 position are less likely to get selected now.

Tough time awaits for the international students due to the new H-1B selection rules

It seems that the U.S. immigration department has come up with the new H-1B selection rules to have the maximum effect on the level 2 position. You would ask why that happened. One probable reason is that they have filed more than 50% of the H-1B petitions. 

The U.S department of homeland security (DHS) has issued the final rule to modify the laws that monitor the overall process by which U.S. citizenship and immigration services approves the H-1B registrations for submitting the H-1B cap-subject petitions. 

The new rule has revised the H-1B selection process for the 85000 yearly allotted visas. Previously, there was a random selection. But now, it will be based on wages. 

How will the new visa rule affect overseas students? 

The new H-1B selection process will negatively affect the eligible international students as most of them are sponsored for level 1, H-1B positions. 

The USCIS exclaims that the new visa rules will not have a disastrous effect on international students. However, experts do not share a similar sentiment. The USCIS defends their claim by saying that international students will get enough time to gain work experience and increase their wage during their OPT status. 

The educators and experts are not ready to accept the statement of the USCIS. The new H-1B selection process has made it almost impossible for overseas students with work experience or a postgraduate degree to get a chance. Before the new rule kicked in, the same international students could qualify for the level 2 position.

U.S. universities are not happy with new rules

It goes beyond the conclusion that U.S. universities are not happy with the immigration department’s new rules and regulations. And why would they be satisfied? Anything that goes against international students will not make U.S. universities happy. If the international students find it tough to qualify for the level 2 position, it goes without saying that overseas students will not be attracted to U.S. universities. 

The U.S. universities know very well that international students are not happy with the new H-1B policies. The international students are quite unhappy with the prevailing immigration rules in the U.S. Most of them were introduced by the former U.S. President Donald Trump. As per the reports, there is a drop in the number of international students’ applications in 2020 after the pandemic shook the entire world. Now the new visa rule has added fuel to the fire.

If there are no international students, many U.S. universities will incur a heavy loss in 2021. As it is, the U.S. universities have suffered financially in 2020 due to the pandemic and Trump’s autocratic immigration laws. Donald Trump’s famous comment America is for Americans didn’t go well with the international students. On the one hand, international students would boost the economy of the country. On the other hand, the U.S. government would not cooperate with them during the pandemic. Why would international students suffer from both the end? They are already paying more than the country’s domestic students. 

Dollar Trump did not understand or refused to understand that international students can revive the country’s economic condition. After the great recession in 2008, Anand big recession has hit the entire world due to the pandemic. International students bring money to the U.S. and its universities. If the universities do not get adequate amounts, they may have to shut down their business.

U.S. universities have expressed their discontent

U.S. universities have expressed their discontent over the new rules. They have expressed their views to the government. They are trying their best to understand that the new law will not be conducive for international students. It will make U.S. universities unappealing to international students. If the international students do not arrive in the country, it will take several years to recover the damaged U.S. economy. 

Canada has already introduced new immigration laws to attract international students to their country. They are offering international students an opportunity to work after completing their higher studies. They are also offering a chance to gain permanent residentship in the country. And that has gone well with the international students. We have already started applying to Canadian universities.

The U.K. government is also not far behind Canada. They have introduced new graduation routes for international students. Plus, they are also offering international students an opportunity to work in the country after completing higher studies.

The U.S. is walking on the opposite route. International students are not even convinced that they can gain work experience after finishing their higher studies. As a result, they are having several thoughts in their mind regarding U.S. universities.

Conclusion

The new rule will come into effect from March 9, 2021. As per the new law, only highly skilled international students with a long work experience and a wage that surpasses Standard Occupational Classification Code will be selected. In simple terms, international students need to show job experience, high salary, and essential responsibilities. Now that is not possible for many international students. Hence they are less likely to be selected. 

International students are hoping that the Biden government will do something about this new visa rule and discard it. On the other hand, the government feels that the new visa rules will encourage employees to give a higher wage to international students. 

Let us hope that the new rule is not implemented to benefit international students and the U.S. economy. If the Biden government starts thinking from the international students’ perspective, they have to cancel this new rule and replace it soon.