Program for non-U.S. students grows

Tech companies hire foreign grads of American colleges.

WASHINGTON — A program that allows foreign students to stay in the United States for temporary employment after graduation has expanded signifificantly over a dozen years as technical companies stepped up hiring of science and engineering majors, according to a report released Thursday.

The study by Pew Research Center in Washington comes as colleges and universities across the country struggle with falling enrollment by foreign students amid the Trump administration’ s anti- immigration rhetoric and policies.

In 2016, 172,000 foreign nationals who went to college or university in the U.S. got a job through the Optional Practical Training program, compared to 45,000 in 2004, according to the report. Participation in the program surged after President George W. Bush and then- President Barack Obama extended the length of stay for science, technology, engineering and math majors.

Neil Ruiz, aco-author of the report, says the program has been key in attracting foreign students to study in America and keeping them here after they graduate. U.S. universities have the world’s largest foreign student population.

According to a separate study by the Association of International Educators, foreign students contributed $37 billion in tuition and living expenses to the U.S. economy in the academic year 2016-2017.

“It is very important to remember that we are in a global competition for talent,” saidJillWelch, the asso- ciation’s deputy executive director for public policy. “We do not have to lose these talented and valuable international students to other nations.”

But enrollment has been dropping. The Institute of International Education found that the number of new college students coming to the United States from overseas fell by 7 percent since Donald Trump was elected.

The group attributes the decline to his travel restrictions for nationals of some predominantly Muslim countries as well as competition from countries like Canada, Australia and Britain. And the Trump administration is also considering changes to the temporary employment program. Although no details on the changes have been released, Trump generally has championed prioritizing American workers.

Rajika Bhandari, head of research at the Institute of International Education, said the programhas successfully attracted talent to the U.S. and boosted science research and innovation. If the programis scaled back, she said, those students might choose other destinations.

But David North, a fellow with the Center for Immigration Studies, argues the program puts American sat ad isadvantage. Neither workers nor their employers in the program have to pay Medicare and Social Security taxes, so the companies would have a fifinancial incentive to hire an OPT student instead of a U.S. citizen, he said.

“Foreign worker programs in general, including OPT, should not be encouraged because it takes jobs from U.S. workers ....,” North said. “They should re think the program completely, and they should certainly remove the subsidy.”