New guidance for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a new temporary final rule that prohibits international students from returning to or remaining in the United States this fall if the colleges they attend adopt online-only instruction model in COVID-19.
Besides students of other countries, the move will impact thousands of Indian students who will have to leave the country or risk deportation if their universities switch to online-only classes for the fall.
According to reports, this issue has been raised by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla during an online meeting with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale. The US, according to sources, has said that they will keep the best interests of the Indian students and would try and reduce the severity of situation.They also convinced Indian counterpart with a point that detailed guidelines for implementation of the decision are yet to come out.
One-third of all international students come from China. The move is said to significantly hamper the already poor situation of international student enrolment.
According to NAFSA : Association of International Educators, International students contributed nearly $41 billion to national economy in 2018-19.