Updates from the Coalition’s Steering Committee

We’ve expanded our membership. 

The Steering Committee has been steadily working its way through the more than 100 higher and international education, immigration advocacy and business organization applications received thus far and, having just completed its first quarterly review, has issued invitations for the first group of approximately 40 organizations to join. 

Since our launch in November, we have had productive meetings with relevant U.S. agencies, including: : 

• Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State 

• Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

• U.S. Department of Commerce

• U.S. Department of Education

• Office of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Influencing Policy

In March, we were asked for input on proposed legislation that would seek to reduce visa denials for students from the Global South. Our recommendations included greater transparency on reasons for visa denials and modernizing immigration law to expand dual intent to F-1s student visa applicants.

We have already achieved our first advocacy win:

Following advocacy efforts by our coalition, the U.S. Government expanded the visa interview waiver policy. These updates mean that all nonimmigrant visa applicants in any visa category, including student and exchange visitor visa applicants (F, M, and J visas) who were previously issued any type of visa within 48 months, can apply for a visa renewal or even a new visa without having to clog up the visa interview queues. Read more. 

Policy issues we have identified as priorities for the coming year include: 

• Further improving the visa process for students seeking to study in the United States 

• Protecting experiential learning opportunities like Optional Practical Training (OPT)

• Creating more reliable employment-based immigration pathways for international students who graduate from our colleges and universities

View our policy recommendations issued so far.  As a reminder, higher education institutions and organizations experiencing student visa issues are encouraged to report them to the NAFSA-led visa survey.

We have established two working groups to advance our goals and priorities. 

1. A Higher Education Engagement Working Group is focusing on coalition goal #4: Leverage the capacity of U.S. colleges and universities:

1. Cultivating a diverse community of commitment partners who represent the wide range of higher education institutions in the United States, with a specific focus on the inclusion of community colleges, minority-serving institutions (MSIs), and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs);

2. Developing a list of target states/regions and work directly with higher education partners to build relationships with lawmakers who can support our strategic goals; and

3. Implementing regular engagement strategies to identify and elevate HEI needs (beyond funding) when it comes to the recruitment, retainment, and post-graduate success of international students.  

2. Protecting OPT Working Group.  In order to position the U.S. to compete globally (coalition goal #6) and to facilitate immigration pathways for international students to work in the U.S. post-graduation (coalition goal #7), a second working group will focus on protecting OPT.  Specifically, the working group will focus on 

1. Developing a strategy to codify OPT through Congressional action (identify congressional champions and legislative solutions);

2. identifying partners and allies to help advance this strategy; and

3. Developing content that can be used to educate advocates (coalition members and their networks, other partners) in implementing this strategy.

Partner Outreach

Also in February, representatives of the coalition Steering Committee shared progress and priorities for increasing the number of international students who study here from all regions of the world and who can work in the U.S. post-graduation. We joined higher education and U.S. government partners in a session at AIEA’s annual conference on “Int'l Student Success in the U.S. - what's next?” and joined the scientific community at the American Physical Society focused on post-graduation immigration pathways.

Key Data and Research

We joined 10 organizations, in participating in an IDP Survey on a National Strategy for International Education in the U.S.

While much work is yet to be done, the survey results identify key strategic priorities. 

Highlights from the survey results include broad consensus on: 

• The importance and complexities of developing a comprehensive national strategy for international education in the United States.

• The importance of such a strategy in fostering U.S. global competitiveness, innovation and research, enriching cultural diversity, reducing barriers, and increasing access. 

• The importance of increased funding and federal support to attract more international students to the U.S. Most respondents agreed on the need for government funding, while alternative funding suggestions included contributions from higher education institutions and related organizations.

• One of the strongest areas of consensus was around the need for modernization of work pathways including dual intent for F-1 students, improved visa policies, and opportunities for residency post-graduation.

• Diversity also emerged as a key theme, with strategies proposed to address visa denial rates, provide scholarships for underrepresented groups, and promote study abroad opportunities to a wider range of students. 

• In terms of organization and governance, opinions were split between establishing a White House coordinating council and creating an independent cross-sector body. 

This last point demonstrates the value of our coalition in representing a coordinated effort to serve in partnership with the U.S. government, higher education institutions, and the business and foreign policy communities. 

A new forecast from the British Council also reflects that international student mobility rates are expected to slow through 2030.The report, which is based on analysis of 30 sending markets, argues that there's a strong link between global GDP growth and student mobility. According to the ICEF Monitor, authors of the report point to the correlation between past dips in student mobility growth and periods of slow growth or shrinking in the global economy.

 In Latitudes, Karin Fischer contrasts the findings of the British Council report with those of a recent report from the Institute of International Education (IIE). The IIE report predicts strong growth in 10 emerging markets and an increase in the number of internationally mobile students from 6 million in 2023 to more than 10 million in 2030. Read Outlook 2030 Brief: The U.S. and International Education

Shorelight is again partnering with HolonIQ for its annual Global Flows Report. The executive directors of the coalition steering committee met in April to provide input on that report and to discuss strategies for facilitating the best possible outcomes for increasing the number of international students who study here from all regions of the world and allow them to work in the U.S. post-graduation.

Future Engagement Opportunities: 

In addition to the briefing we will host for coalition members on global trends data, we will also host a U.S. for Success session at the NAFSA annual conference in New Orleans.

As we plan for our advocacy and higher education engagement efforts for our first year of the coalition’s activities, we will focus on the seven interrelated goals described below:

1. Establish a proactive national strategy to successfully increase the number of international students who study here from all regions of the world and who can work in the U.S. post-graduation. 

2. Strengthen coordination among organizations and institutions within the field of international and higher education while increasing support and collaboration from cross-sectoral players, including the business and foreign policy communities.

3. Expand the diversity of international students coming to the U.S., including countries and regions of origin, with an emphasis on those from the Global South, economically underrepresented students, and women. Our campuses benefit when they reflect the global community into which our students will graduate.

4. Leverage the capacity of U.S. colleges and universities by expanding the destinations for these students within the U.S. Build and increase capacity to welcome and support international students at a broad range of U.S. higher education institutions, including community colleges, historically Black colleges, minority-serving institutions, intensive English language training, vocational education, experiential learning, and practical training.

5. Support campus best practices. Ensure student success and promote responsible and ethical practices in international student recruitment by supporting colleges and universities in best practices.

6. Position the U.S. to compete and cooperate globally. Ensure policies and practices that help U.S. institutions compete effectively to attract and support international students who are actively seeking to come to the United States and to enable businesses to hire them.

7. Facilitate immigration pathways. Establish facilitated pathways to employment-based visas and immigration for F-1 international students who are seeking to launch careers in the U.S. after graduation, and who are recruited by U.S. companies, and protect experiential learning programs that give students work experience like Optional Practical Training (OPT).