International student enrolment in US universities could fall to post WW II levels: NFAP

Pune: International student enrolment in US universities could fall to its lowest levels since World War II, impacting economic growth, according to a new study from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), an Arlington, USA based research organization. NFAP projects that legal immigration will fall by 49% (or 581,845) between FY 2016 and FY 2021 due to Trump administration policies.

Further, the US average annual labour force growth, a key component of economic growth, may be 59% lower due to Trump administration policies that have reduced legal immigration.

"The enrollment of new international students at US universities in the Fall 2020-21 academic year is projected to decline 63% to 98% from the 2018-19 level, with between 6,000 to 12,000 new international students at the low range, and 87,000 to 100,000 at the high range,” as per the research. This would translate into a decline of as many as 263,000 students from the 2018-19 academic year. The decline in students would primarily be on account of the Covid19 shutdowns and the order barring foreign students attending online only courses from staying on, or travelling to the country.

“History and economics show America will be better – and the economic and societal recovery will be stronger – if the country embraces openness,” said NFAP Executive Director Stuart Anderson, who was executive associate commissioner for policy and planning and counselor to the Commissioner of the INS in the George W. Bush administration. “A remarkable number of immigrant entrepreneurs, physicians, researchers and workers in a variety of industries have been instrumental to Americans during this crisis.”

The study, “Immigrants and America’s Comeback From the Covid-19 Crisis,” finds one consequence of the coronavirus pandemic is Americans have become acquainted with people and companies who have proven vital to Americans during the crisis. That includes companies providing or working on medical responses, entrepreneurs and immigrant workers in health care and the food sector.

It said that bringing legal immigration to the level prior to when Trump administration policies reduced it will help America’s comeback from Covid-19 and enhance U.S. economic growth. More than 56% of U.S. researchers in life sciences and medicine with a Ph.D. are foreign-born.

Anderson suggests that the country needs to develop policies to help international students retain their status and work in the country after graduation and rescind policies that prevent or discourage international students from choosing or remaining at US universities.