An expert has told US lawmakers that over 7,000 students and visitors from India have overstayed in the US in 2023. He suggested several reforms in the country's immigration policies, including reforms related to H-1B visas as well.
Jessica M. Vaughn of the Center for Immigration Studies told the Judiciary Committee of the US House of Representatives, the lower house of Parliament, that the highest number of overstayers were F and M category visa holders.
The F-1 visa allows a person to remain in the United States as a full-time student at an accredited college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school, or other educational institution or language training program.
Whereas, the M-1 visa is for students studying in vocational or other non-academic programs other than language training.
On Wednesday, she said, “More than two thousand citizens of four countries including Brazil, China, Colombia and India have overstayed their student or exchange visas in 2023. Indians are the largest (7,000) in these countries.”
She said that visa issuance policies need adjustments and internal enforcement should be strengthened. Additionally, parliament should amend the law in several important ways.
As per India Today, the US Department of Homeland Security has implemented a final rule to modernise and improve the efficiency of the H-1B visa programme three days before Trump's inaugural ceremony on 20th January 2025.
This new rule took effect on Friday, 17th January 2025. It aims to enhance the requirements for the H-1B non-immigrant visa programme and enable the US companies to fill job vacancies more effectively. It addresses labour needs in critical fields and strengthens the US economy as well.
The minimum educational level required for H-1B status is a bachelor's degree in the field of the proposed employment. The non-immigrant employee must have the required degree or its equivalent in order to receive the H-1B approval.