Source: Fortune
Summary
The U.S. is experiencing a decline in international student enrollment, which could have severe consequences for the economy. According to a report by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, if the number of international STEM graduates trained in the U.S. were to fall by a third over the next decade, the country’s GDP could lose between $240 billion and $481 billion. The decline in international students is largely due to the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration policies, including measures targeting foreign-born students and tightened rules for post-schooling employment.
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The announcement sounds familiar.
The Trump administration’s immigration policies are driving away international students, who disproportionately pursue technical degrees in STEM fields. This could lead to a brain drain and a loss of innovation and entrepreneurship in the U.S. The Peterson Institute study found that international arrivals make up 42.1% of STEM workers with a master’s degree and 49.2% with a PhD. The U.S. risks losing these highly skilled workers to competitor countries.
The numbers tell one story, but the real cost is in the opportunities that are vanishing for skilled workers. The U.S. is already seeing a decline in visa issuances, and the drop in enrollment is expected to compound by a further 1% every year between now and 2030. The U.S.’s loss might end up being its rivals’ gain, as universities in Asia and Europe see rising enrollment.
Author: Evan Null
