Recently, the USA saw a drop in international student enrolment at their academic institutions. The low enrolment in STEM courses in the USA is met with high demands for qualified engineers and scientists in the STEM sector. Yet, Indians- who form a major cluster of engineers, scientists and technicians in the STEM sector in the USA- are held back from such opportunities. Here, you can find all of the latest news & updates related to USA student visa.
During the coronavirus pandemic, a ban on international travel was practised by all countries as required. As a result, most of the embassies including US embassies and consulates in India shut down their services temporarily. As a result, this severely impacted the Indian students who wished to study in the high-ranking universities in the USA and be employed after graduation in the States too.
What is the H1-B visa?
The H1-B visa is the visa that allows American companies to employ foreign employees temporarily.
Why can’t H1-B holders go to the USA or travel to their home country from the USA?
As per the latest news surrounding USA visa, employees who returned to India during the pandemic and want to go back to the USA for work are not receiving appointments from the US consulate and Embassy for months. This has led them frustrated as they need the visa stamp on their passport before they book their air tickets. Many WhatsApp, telegram and social media groups have been made of those who are unable to get an appointment where they express their anger and helplessness.
Secondly, if you are an Indian employee wanting to go back to India for a short period (emergency, family events, etc), there is no guarantee that you will be allowed back into the USA as US immigration services in India are significantly poor today.
As a result of such circumstances, a drop of 9% in H1-B visa holders has been witnessed in the USA which is the highest in the decade as announced by the US Department of Labour. The number of international students was reduced by over 100,000 students in 2020-21. Although rapid growth was expected in 2021, a fraction of it includes students who deferred their education due to the pandemic in early 2020.
You can find the freshest news related to student visa in the USA here. If you need help with your study abroad visa requirements, you can contact us at 1800572000. Book your FREE 30-minute profile evaluation today.