The administration of US President Donald Trump has proposed reducing the length of stay in the United States for foreign students and journalists as it tightens restrictions on legal immigration to the country.
Under the proposal, foreign nationals holding student visas would not be allowed to stay in the US for more than four years.
Foreign journalists would be limited to 240 days, although they would be able to apply for renewal for the same period. Only Chinese journalists would be limited to 90 days.
Until now, the US has issued visas for the duration of their student program.
“Non-immigrant” visas, like student visas, cannot be valid for more than 10 years.
The proposal was published in the Federal Register, the official journal of the federal government, opening a short period for public comment before it goes into effect.
“For too long, previous administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the United States almost indefinitely, posing security risks, costing taxpayers immeasurable amounts of money, and putting American citizens at a disadvantage,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
According to Commerce Department statistics, international students contributed more than $50 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023.
The U.S. welcomed more than 1.1 million international students in the 2023-2024 academic year, more than any other country. Typically paying full tuition, their presence is a key source of revenue for U.S. universities.
“This proposed rule sends a message to talented individuals around the world that their contributions are not valued in the United States,” said Miriam Feldblam, head of the group that represents leaders of U.S. higher education institutions.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has stepped up enforcement of immigration laws. In mid-August, the State Department announced that it had canceled 6,000 student visas since January. About 55 million visa holders were affected by the increased checks.
