Not Coming to America: Falling Behind in the Race to Attract International Students

International students play a key role in the country’s ability to compete globally, particularly in STEM research and education initiatives. These students contribute nearly $40 billion a year to the economy, support over 450,000 jobs annually and make significant contributions in teaching, research and innovation. While the number of students seeking international education is rising globally, the number coming to study in the U.S. is declining (9.6 percent between fall 2015 and fall 2017), negatively impacting university budgets and local economies. The report Not Coming to America: Falling Behind in the Race to Attract International Students, published by New American Economy, explores why the U.S. is experiencing a decline in international enrollment, while other developed countries are profiting from the growing international education market. Experts suggest that the recent rise in anti-immigrant sentiment and more restrictive immigration policies in the U.S., coupled with more accessible and competitive education options in other countries may be responsible for the abrupt decline in international enrollment. The authors encourage the U.S. to adopt policies and programs similar to those of other industrialized countries, such as: allowing open-work visas for recent graduates; expanding the number of employment preference green cards available each year; and initiating a points-based system for issuing green cards with special credit for foreign graduates of U.S. institutions of higher education. (Lara Carbine for The Immigrant Learning Center’s Public Education Institute)

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