Amid all the noise in Washington and simultaneous lack of legislation coming out of Congress, there have been some quiet wins for accountability in our visa system.One recent win is an administrative final rule that requires foreign students to comply with their visas.Administrative rules govern how the government implements the law in practice.Most foreign students who qualify get an F-1 visa, which allows them to study at the undergraduate or graduate level.
Some get a J-1, which is for international exchange visitors.RUBIO PUSHES BACK ON INDIA'S CONCERNS OVER US VISA CURBS, SAYS POLICY MUST BE 'AMERICA FIRST' UNDER TRUMPWhen student visa holders arrive here, they are given permission to enter under what’s called "duration of status." That means that as long as they are full-time students, they can stay.President Donald Trump is reining in student visas that have been abused by foreign students.(Photo: iStock/Getty Images Plus) An earlier rule allows students, while still on their student visas, to work in "Optional Practical Training" for a year, with another two years if they have STEM degrees.
The definition of STEM is 16 pages long and generous.Because foreigners on OPT are working using their student visa (remember – "duration of status") their employers are not required to pay into Social Security and Medicare.
That’s a discount of up to 15% for hiring foreign workers instead of Americans."Duration of status" combined with OPT incentivizes marginal students not to complete their degrees in due course and, as they originally claimed they would, go home.TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ORDERS GREEN CARD APPLICANTS TO LEAVE THE US, APPLY FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIESThe education-migration complex is desperate to keep the foreign student gravy train on the rails.They make the new rule seem as if it is cutting off opportunity.
Quite the opposite: it’s about asking for responsibility.It’s not hard to complete a bachelor’s degree in four years, especially for fo...