New policy could have a chilling affect on international students, scholars
The Trump administration reportedly is set to place new limits on Chinese visa applications beginning June 11, a State Department official said Tuesday, a move that could impact both Chinese students and scholars as well as international students from across the globe.
The measures would in some cases limit how long these visas are valid. According to The Associated Press, Chinese graduate students would be limited to one-year visas if they are studying in fields like robotics, aviation, and high-tech manufacturing. The current practice is to issue them for the maximum possible length. The limits are in response to national security concerns regarding the theft of U.S. intellectual property.
In a statement, ACE President Ted Mitchell called the potential new policy “bad for institutions and bad for the nation.”
“While apparently aimed at Chinese students in certain STEM fields, this would have a chilling effect on our ability to attract international students from all countries,” Mitchell said. “These students have been critical to research that supports U.S. economic growth and fuels innovation.”
Some one million international students attend U.S. colleges and universities annually, contributing greatly to this country’s intellectual and cultural vibrancy, and they also yield an estimated economic impact of $36.9 billion and support 450,000 U.S. jobs, Mitchell pointed out. Federal data shows that Chinese students alone contributed $12.55 billion to our national economy in 2016.