An interesting aspect to internationalization that is controlled by the U.S. government is H1-B Visa’s. The import of international students to many U.S. universities at the undergraduate level, the graduate level and the post graduate level brings much positive financial income to a school. Students across the globe come to school in America for one primary reason. To secure a job. This is the reason why most students anywhere go to school, but for international students studying in America, the promise of a job in America is a big drive factor for them. For international students to be able to stay in America to work beyond their years of CPT – Curricular Practical Training – which they are only allowed to participate in if they are enrolled in school and then OPT – Optional Practical Training, which they are allowed to do for one year after their studies are complete, the next step is to be sponsored by a company in the hopes of obtaining a H-1B visa that will allow them to work for longer in the U.S.

The process of obtaining an H-1B visa for U.S. companies is getting more difficult. This year employers filed approximately 236,000 petitions for H-1B’s for the 2017 fiscal year. This is 3000 more than FY2016. Only about one-third of the petitions get selected through a lottery process. Some feel this outdated process hurts the U.S. workforce by missing out on highly talented individuals.

Companies themselves are giving up on applying for the visas because of the low chance of being selected, being turned down in the past so many times and the cost that comes with the application. Companies that have 50 or more staff in the U.S,  with 50% or more employees on H-1B visa’s, are required to pay an additional $4,000 on top of the standard application fee.

If change is to come to this program, it will not be until after the next presidential election. In the meantime, this process is hurting internationalization in the United States. If international students are not able to find companies to sponsor them, they will go elsewhere.

Maure, Roy April 13, 2016. 2017 H-1B Cap Filing Set New Record: One third of Petitions chosen for visas. https://www.shrm.org