What Relocating to America Might Look Like for International Students in America by 2025 Under a Second Trump Term
If Donald Trump does get reelected for a second term in 2025, international students in America may find quite different surroundings: with a large shift toward merit-based immigration policies, toughened requirements for obtaining visas, and increased attention to family-based immigration. This is likely to make international students study, live, and work much harder in the U.S. as the government decides to increase priority for applicants of higher skill and tightens controls on all visa programs. Some adjustments to these changes will challenge opportunities.
The changed direction of immigration policies may pose new hurdles for international students and legal immigrants alike, such as times of visa processing, job opportunities, and access to higher education. Here is how moving to America might look in 2025 under President Trump.
H-1B and Employment-Based Immigration Could Tighten Further
The already-attacked H-1B visa programme, with more regulations during the first term of his presidency, may be in line for even further restrictions from the second-term administration. Changes might include increasing the wage scale to prevent the displacement of American workers, reducing visa caps but giving preference to those applicants with advanced degrees and specialised skills, and increasing processing times with higher denial rates.
Other employment-based visa programs, such as the L-1 visa, used for intracompany transfers, also would fall under closer examination. Applicants would be asked for more documentation, resulting in more delays and denials.
Family-Based Immigration May Contract
Family unification might become challenging if a merit-based immigration regime prevails. Trump’s family-based immigration restrictions are likely to follow the pattern described below:
- Sponsorship opportunities for siblings and adult children of U.S. citizens and permanent residents are limited.
- Increased proof of financial stability that makes it hard for some families to reunite
- Family-based green card processing time delay
International Student Changes
For international students, the process to study in the U.S. under a Trump administration could be even more problematic. There would be stricter examination of the F-1 student visa process, deeper interview processes, and further inquiry into the current financial condition of the applicant. Further bans could potentially be imposed on those students from countries believed to be security threats or whose academic focus would be in technology and/or science.
OPT, a program allowing foreign students to work in the U.S. after they graduate, might also be more highly regulated. Under the Trump regime, most expect the OPT era to shrink, application fees to rise, and the bar for employers hiring OPT students will be increased.
While STEM students may still have pathways into transitioning into H-1B visas, Trump’s merit-based focus could make American graduates greater priorities than international students, making competition for jobs fierce.
Impact on University Enrolment
A decline in international student visa approvals could reduce the flow of new international students to U.S. universities. This would substantially reduce university funding, especially those programs relying on international tuition. It would be extremely difficult for universities to maintain academic quality, and in certain areas of study, such as science and technology, fewer resources would be developed.
Public Charge Rule May Return
One of the most contentious policies from Trump’s first term, the public charge rule, may be reinstated. This policy provides an analysis of whether an immigrant is likely to depend on government benefits. If so, this rule could make it harder for immigrants to get a green card since it may view them as relying on public benefits.
Conclusion
Moving to the U.S. in 2025 under Trump’s possible second term may be fraught with challenges, both for legal immigrants and international students. In this merit-based approach to immigration, it could be more competitive and restrictive, with tougher visa policies and fewer options for family reunification. International students will face difficulties in finding work experience, while universities will face class size maintenance challenges due to the issuance of fewer student visas.
