US Student Visa Arrivals Fall to Four-Year Low, Led by Asia Drop

Source: msn/Bloomberg

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(Bloomberg) -- Visitors to the US arriving on student visas hit a four-year low in August, portending a grim trend for the nation’s education sector.

Student arrivals to the US dropped 19% in August year-on-year to just over 313,000 – a fifth consecutive month of declines, according to data from the International Trade Administration that tracks arrivals to the country. That’s the lowest number of students entering the US for August — a peak month for new students to arrive — since 2021 amid the Covid pandemic. Total student arrivals are down nearly 12% for the year through August.

The downturn is most dramatic among those from Asia, which provides the bulk of student visas, as President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies create immigration hurdles. The measures implemented during the summer application season have had a chilling effect on students eyeing the US for advance education, leading to billions of dollars in lost revenue for US universities.

“If the trends continue, the impact will be significant not only for campuses and their students — both international and American — but for the economy overall,” said Zuzana Cepla Wootson, deputy director of federal policy of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, whose members are university leaders. “Fewer international students mean fewer contributions to America’s leadership in science and technology — and, ultimately, a less competitive United States in the long run.”

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/us-student-visa-arrivals-fall-to-four-year-low-led-by-asia-drop/ar-AA1N3wwr