Number of International Students in the U.S. Rising

The number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by an average of 8% for a total 671,616 students, for this academic year, according to the Open Doors report, which is published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE).  This is the largest percentage increase in international student enrollment since 1981, and marks the third consecutive year of growth.

Here’s how it breaks down, according to the Open Doors report, in terms of the top 15 sending countries:

While on many levels this is great news, it highlights the inadequacy of our current immigration system, which is based on an antiquated visa quota system that has no relationship to the globalized world in which we live.  These international students, who disproportionately obtain degrees in the sciences, are in a position to make enormous contributions to our society.  For instance, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that between 1990 and 2007, 25% of all publicly traded companies in the U.S. that were started with venture capital financing had an immigrant founder (“The Other Immigrants”, WSJ, Nov. 18, 2009).  Basically, it’s in our interest to keep the best and the brightest of these students here in the U.S.  But as the system currently stands, an Indian national graduating with a U.S. degree would need to wait many years (upwards of 10 in some cases) to be eligible for an immigrant visa.  Why would this person choose to immigrate to the U.S. , if Canada, Germany, and a whole host of other countries offer a more streamlined and user-friendly system?  In short, does it make sense for us to offer the best universities in the world (ours) to the world’s best and brightest, only to watch them take their skills and talents elsewhere?

Tags: colleges, immigrant visa, immigration, international student, quota, universities, visa

Gali Gordon