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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
OPT students in US urged to ‘do a gut check' as they risk losing legal status amid crackdown on fake job consultancies
With authorities in the United States stepping up action against job consultancies, students who are in the country on Optional Practical Training (OPT) are facing renewed uncertainty. In the past, some companies allegedly kept students nominally employed by issuing fake payslips and payroll records, and refused to provide real work. However, these firms are now under stricter oversight. OPT students in US urged to 'do a gut check' as they risk losing legal status amid crackdown on fake job consultancies (Unsplash - representational image) Hundreds of OPT students were dependent on such practices to maintain their visa status. However, with several consultancies now halting such arrangements, these students have only 60 days to find genuine employment. Should they fail to do so, they risk losing their legal status. Read More | Trump admin pauses some green card applications: How will this affect Indian immigrants? "It's terrifying," a 26-year-old postgraduate student from Hyderabad, India, who now lives in Houston, told The Times of India. "I was told I had an 'employer' and was receiving pay stubs, but now they've stopped. I don't know what to do; finding real work at short notice is almost impossible." A 25-year-old who now stays in Virginia claimed that the fabricated payroll had kept him afloat in the US. "I've been paying thousands in rent and tuition under the assumption that my paperwork was in order. Now I'm scrambling, with less than two months to find something genuine. I'm now looking for trustworthy consultancies,' he said. According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) guidelines, this type of documentation is fraudulent, and may put a person at the risk of losing their legal status, and endanger their future immigration prospects. Fake payrolls can lead to the termination of an I-20 form, and loss of immigration status. In some cases, individuals may even face allegations of misrepresentation in immigration processes later, such as H-1B visa or green card applications. 'OPT students should do a gut check' Immigration experts believe students should take proper measures immediately. "OPT students should do a gut check and assess the legitimacy of any roles or consultancies they are considering," said Nicole Alexandra Gunara, principal immigration solicitor at Manifest Law. Read More | Indians in US haunted by one question – can Trump strip them of their Green Cards overnight? What you need to know "Speak with your Designated School Officer (DSO) or international student office, as universities are often aware of problematic arrangements. Reach out via LinkedIn to speak with other employees or F-1 students at the company, ask for a clear work statement outlining duties and deliverables, and verify whether the company has active client contracts," she continued. Gunara said of the legal implications, "Even if a student was unaware they were being issued fake payrolls, they should seek immediate legal counsel, gather evidence to show they acted in good faith, report the issue to their DSO, and change employers if possible."
India.com
24-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
US Opens Investigation Into Harvards Participation In Exchange Visitor Program
The US State Department has said that it is opening an investigation into Harvard University's continued eligibility as a sponsor for the Exchange Visitor Program, which allows foreign students and scholars to participate in exchange programs in the US. The investigation marks the Trump administration's renewed effort to restrict the admission of overseas students at the country's oldest university, Xinhua news agency reported. "To maintain their privilege to sponsor exchange visitors, sponsors must comply with all regulations, including conducting their programs in a manner that does not undermine the foreign policy objectives or compromise the national security interests of the US," US State Secretary Marco Rubio said on Wednesday in a statement. "The investigation will ensure that State Department programs do not run contrary to our nation's interests," Rubio added. The Trump administration has designated combating anti-semitism a foreign policy aim, and State Department officials have maintained that statements as broad as calls to cut off military aid to Israel could be grounds for revoking a non-citizen's visa. The federal government has also suggested that Harvard's ties to China could be a national security threat. The Wednesday probe is yet another escalation in the Trump administration's ongoing pressure campaign into Harvard, which has continued to ramp up even as the two parties pursue negotiations in Washington. Two weeks ago, the administration threatened Harvard's accreditation status and subpoenaed the University for records related to alleged misconduct by international students. Harvard was given one week to comply with the extensive request, which was served by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and asked for details on international students' post-graduation employment through Optional Practical Training and any videos of international students protesting on campus since 2020. A spokesperson for Harvard University said in a statement that this investigation is "yet another retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard's First Amendment rights," while noting that Harvard is committed to continuing to comply with the applicable Exchange Visitor Program regulations. Earlier this week, Judge Allison Burroughs from the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts held a hearing on the Trump administration's cuts to Harvard's federal funding -- an estimated total of more than $2.6 billion. In a social media post, US President Donald Trump called the judge "a total disaster," pledging that his administration would file an immediate appeal should the ruling go against them.
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Business Standard
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Education loan growth at NBFCs to slow to 25% in FY26 on US visa curbs
The pace of growth in the education loan portfolio of non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) is likely to moderate sharply to 25 per cent in the ongoing financial year 2026 (FY26), against the backdrop of deceleration in disbursements for studies in the United States due to a raft of policy changes there, Crisil said. The rating agency, in a statement on Wednesday, said the education loan book of finance companies in India has been the fastest-growing asset class, clocking about 50 per cent and above year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth over the past few years. The education loan assets under management (AUM) of NBFCs grew a rapid 48 per cent to ₹64,000 crore last financial year. That followed an even faster 77 per cent growth in financial year 2024. But growth in the ongoing financial year is seen moderating to about 25 per cent with AUM reaching ₹80,000 crore. As a step to mitigate adverse effects of US markets, NBFCs are diversifying into new geographies and product adjacencies. While non-performing assets (NPAs) have remained stable so far, asset quality will be monitorable given the global uncertainties and a large proportion of AUM (~85 per cent) remaining under contractual principal moratorium, rating agency added. Malvika Bhotika, director, Crisil Ratings, 'Policy uncertainties in the US, combined with measures including reduced visa appointments and the proposed elimination of Optional Practical Training norms have culled newer loan originations. This has led to a 30 per cent decline in total disbursements to that geography last fiscal.' The disbursements linked to even Canada, the second-largest market, fell as student visa rules became stricter, including increased financial requirements via proof of available funds, and cap on permits. Consequently, overall education loan disbursements were up only 8 per cent in the financial year 2025, compared with 50 per cent in the financial year 2024.' NBFCs have sharpened focus on other geographies. Disbursements linked to courses in the UK, Germany, Ireland and smaller countries have doubled in the past financial year as students opted for alternative destinations. The share of such geographies in total disbursements rose to almost 50 per cent in FY25 from 25 per cent a year ago. But this will not fully offset the decline in US-linked disbursements. Notably, the share of US in overall education loan portfolio has already come down to 50 per cent as on March 31, 2025, from a peak of 53 per cent as seen on March 31, 2024, and is expected to go down further over next few years as lenders gravitate towards other geographies. NBFCs are also looking at domestic student loans and adjacencies such as school funding, loans for skill development, certification and coaching, Crisil added.
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
As U.S. pauses new visa interviews, why international students matter
The U.S. has paused scheduling of new visa interviews globally and expanded its vetting of accounts of foreign students on social media. This is the latest move in a series of intrusive measures carried out by the Donald Trump administration targeting international students and premier universities in the U.S. This decision comes days after the administration tried to block the University of Harvard from enrolling international students. Only a month ago, the government targeted several U.S. universities, accusing them of fostering anti-Semitism. Earlier this year, the government also revoked thousands of international student visas with barely any notice. The administration claims that the move is part of wide-ranging efforts to limit immigration. Data indicate that it could have a significant impact on U.S. universities and the U.S. economy. The Open Doors International students' data shows that the U.S. hosted an all-time high of more than 1.1 million international students in 2023-2024, a 6.6% increase from the previous year. Students from India and China together formed more than 50% of all international students U.S. last year (Chart 1). Chart 1 | The number of international students to the U.S. in the 2016-17 to 2023-24 period A Data Point article published last month found that the number of student visas issued to Indians by the U.S. dropped by 30% in February 2025, the first month of the second Trump administration, compared to the same month the previous year. This decline was much higher than the overall decrease in student visas granted by the U.S. to all countries combined. On May 28, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with 'connections' to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. Data shows that international students from India and China are engaged in key science and research fields and contribute significantly to the U.S. economy. They also formed the highest share among international students who applied for Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students. This allows eligible F-1 international students with STEM degrees to gain additional work experience in the U.S. and work for an employer (Chart 2). Chart 2 | Country-wise number of student exchange programme records with authorisations to participate in STEM OPT They also remained the top countries of origin of temporary visa holders earning U.S. research doctorates in science and engineering. In 2023, close to 6,000 temporary visa holders from China and 2,583 from India earned U.S. research doctorates (Chart 3). Chart 3 | Top countries of origin of temporary visa holders earning U.S. research doctorates in science and engineering They also formed a high share of foreign-born graduates working in science and engineering (S&E) fields and S&E-related fields in the U.S. in 2023. Indians formed the highest share, compared to other foreign-born graduates, across S&E and S&E-related occupations (Chart 4). Chart 4 | Employed foreign-born college graduates by broad field of occupation in 2023 In general, international students form a key share among enrolments of master's and doctoral students in the fields of science, engineering and health (Chart 5). Chart 5 | Enrollment of master's and doctoral students in science, engineering, and health fields by citizenship NAFSA's economic value analysis shows that international students brought in $43.8 billion to the U.S economy in 2023 through tuition fees, and spending on housing and living (Chart 6). Their estimates also show that international students helped create and support lakhs of jobs in the U.S. Chart 6 | Economic benefits of international student enrolment to the U.S. (Values in $ billion) A research paper titled 'Immigrant Entrepreneurs and U.S. Billion-dollar companies' noted that 143 billion-dollar start-up companies in the U.S. have a founder who came to the U.S. first as an international student. Also, 174 international students became founders or co-founders of U.S billion-dollar companies. The data for the charts were sourced from Open Doors, NAFSA, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCES), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement The NAFSA's International Student Economic Value Tool defines economic value as the amount of money that international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities collectively bring into the U.S to pay for their education and to support themselves while they (and in some cases, their families) are there in the U.S. sambavi.p@
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Many international students hope to launch careers in the US. Their pathways may dim under Trump
WASHINGTON — Since coming from China as a teenager for boarding school, Bob Zeng has imagined building a career in the United States. But as he prepared to graduate Thursday from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it felt like the last chapter of his life in America. Zeng said he has been rethinking his plans because of the Trump administration's pledge to aggressively revoke the visas of Chinese students. Having completed a masters degree in science and management, he is thinking about moving to Europe. Or going home to China. 'I am worried about working here,' said Zeng, 30. 'You never know what's going to happen.' Many international students come to the U.S. with hopes of gaining work experience and returning to their home countries or pursuing a career in the U.S. But the administration's intensifying scrutiny of international students — and signs that formal career pathways for them may be closed — are leading some to reconsider their plans. Beyond the steps the administration already has taken — expanding the grounds for terminating students' ability to study in the U.S., adding new vetting for student visas, moving to block foreign enrollment at Harvard — a key nominee has raised the possibility of ending a program that encourages international students to stay and gain work experience. About 240,000 of the 1.1 million people on student visas in the U.S. are on Optional Practical Training — a one-year post-graduation period where they are authorized to work in fields related to their degrees. It can last up to three years for graduates in science, math and technology fields. President Donald Trump's nominee for director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, said during his confirmation hearing on May 21 that he would like to see an end to post-graduate work authorization for international students. 'What I want to see would be essentially a regulatory and sub-regulatory program that would allow us to remove the ability for employment authorizations for F-1 students beyond the time that they are in school,' said Edlow, referring to the F-1 visas on which most international students attend college in the U.S. The opportunity to gain career experience at U.S. companies, especially in technology and other fields where American companies dominate, has long been a draw of studying here. Many enter the H-1B visa lottery, hoping to be selected for one of the employer-sponsored visas that offer a pathway to permanent residency in the United States. Threatening practical training opportunities would have long-term consequences for the U.S. in attracting international students, said Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, which represents international educators. 'We turn global talent away at our own expense,' Aw said. Like many international students, Marko, 29, finds himself glued to the news with a growing sense of alarm. His Optional Practical Training expires in a month, and he has applied for an extension but hasn't heard back, leaving him in limbo. Lawyers for the tech company where he works in New York City advised him to carry proof of his legal status in his wallet, which he finds 'dehumanizing.' 'The message being sent now is that: You are not one of us, and we are going to get rid of you,' said Marko, who asked that only his first name be used because he is worried about being targeted for removal from the country. He has lived in the U.S. for a decade spanning college and graduate school, but his family and friends back home have encouraged him to leave. His hope is that he gets the OPT extension and can then apply for an H-1B visa and continue his life in the U.S., but he also worries about anti-immigrant sentiment and who will be targeted next. In his first administration, Trump floated the idea of curtailing OPT, but that did not materialize. During the campaign, he suggested he would give green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges, a sentiment that students and educators hoped would signal more welcoming policies for international talent. But since taking office his administration has cracked down on international students in several ways. In April, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began terminating the legal status of people with student visas who appeared in a database of police encounters. Many caught up in that effort were on OPT, and had to leave their jobs or risk violating laws about working without legal authorization. ICE eventually restored students' status after widespread legal challenges, but not before some chose to leave the country pre-emptively, fearing deportation. In mid-May, some recent graduates received letters threatening to terminate their status if they did not update their employment records. While the letters gave them an opportunity to fix any reporting issues, it sent another wave of uncertainty through international graduates. This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the government would move to revoke visas of Chinese students with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in 'critical' fields. Yurong 'Luanna' Jiang, a Chinese student who graduated Thursday from Harvard University, said in an interview that she had hoped to stay in the U.S. for a few years but she has been unsettled by the Trump administration's crackdown on visas. "In terms of the plan going forward, I would say everything is up in the air at this point,' said Jiang, who is now open to going anywhere in the world to work in international development. 'At this point, it's difficult to say what will happen.' Gecker reported from San Francisco. Toness and Associated Press writer Michael Casey contributed from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. is solely responsible for all content. Find 's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .org.
