Fewer international students are coming to the United States over the past three years, costing the U.S. economy $11.8 billion and more than 65,000 jobs, according to estimates from NAFSA: Association of International Educators, an international association of professional educators, CNN reported Tuesday.
"There's many variables, but largely it's been the policies and rhetoric from the current administration that's really driven the numbers to move in that direction," said NAFSA director of public policy Rachel Banks.
The Trump administration has devised policies intended to make it more difficult for international students to stay in the U.S. and to work after graduation, according to Forbes.
One such example is that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has at a historically high rate denied petitions for a H-1B visa, which is usually the only practical means for an international student to work long term in the U.S.
New enrollment of international students at American universities fell by more than 10 percent between the 2015-16 and 2018-2019 academic years, according to a new report by the Institute of International Education in its Open Doors publication.
Banks said that "It's not only the anti-immigrant rhetoric being expressed by this administration, there's also increasing concern with regard to gun violence in this country," which gets publicity worldwide and influences those foreigners thinking about studying in the U.S., according to CNN.
She added that worldwide competition for international students has become greater with competitor countries experiencing double-digit growth as "countries like Canada, Australia, and China have developed proactive recruiting strategies” to attract foreign students.
But the Trump Administration cites a different factor for the lower enrollments, saying international students are discouraged by the high cost of Ameridcan schools.
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