A new resource from immigration law firm Fragomen called “” offers helpful guidance on what international students should consider when applying to a US institution, changing visa status, or leaving the US while on a visa or during a visa transition period (e.g., from an F-1 to OPT, or OPT to H-1B).

In brief, Fragomen emphasises that this is a very risky time for international students to leave the US because of a real chance that they might not be permitted re-entry.

In today’s article, we feature ��������dz����’s advice, and we also provide an update on the broader immigration landscape in terms of its implications for international students, higher education institutions, and employers. In particular, we look at why proposed changes to Optional Practical Training (OPT) and study duration limits – as well as new H-1B rules – pose challenges for US colleges’ international recruitment.

The golden pathway

The majority of international students in the US (57%) are in STEM fields: science, technology, engineering, and math. Many of them choose their academic focus to become eligible for the programme called STEM OPT (STEM Optional Practical Training), which:

• Allows international students to work in the US for up to three years (rather than the one-year term permitted for regular OPT participants).


  
• Gives them three chances to be selected through the H-1B work visa lottery system (a significant feature because of the extremely high demand for the limited number of H-1Bs granted each year). The H-1B visa, where applicants are sponsored by US employers, is valid for three years with a possible three-year extension.

In many cases, the pathway envisioned by many international prospects applying to a US university is this: Enrol in a STEM academic programme on an F-1 visa > participate in STEM OPT > apply up to three times for an H-1B visa that allows up to six years of work in the US > potentially progress to permanent residency from there.

The opportunity to pursue this pathway is central to the decision-making of most prospects considering study in the US. A 2025 survey conducted by NAFSA and the found that 54% of current international students would not have chosen the US if there was no OPT option. Another survey, the , found that 92% of US higher institutions believe that international students would choose another destination if OPT were eliminated.

Those survey findings underscore the impact of the OPT programme on an international student’s overall return on investment (ROI) for study in the US. Simply put, participating in OPT helps students to offset the high cost of a US degree, which might otherwise be prohibitive.

The pathway is under pressure

The importance of OPT to US colleges’ international enrolments highlights the massive impact that several recent proposals or rule changes by the Department of Homeland Security may have on institutions’ ability to recruit overseas. These include:

• A proposal to restrict or end the OPT programme. This proposal is currently under review. 

  
• A presidential proclamation requiring an employer to pay a US$100,000 fee for an H‑1B application filed from outside the US after 21 September 2025. This fee is now in place despite multiple legal challenges, some of which are still proceeding through the courts.


  
• A proposal to impose a fixed period limiting international students’ study visa to no more than four years. This would replace the current Duration of Stay (D/S) system that allows students to remain in the US as long as they are progressing in their academic programmes. A fixed admission period would require students to apply for extensions that they wouldn’t automatically receive. If an extension were denied, a student would be required to leave the US immediately, with no chance at OPT. This proposal is under review. Almost half (49%) of current students responding to the 2025 NAFSA/ Institute for Progress survey said they would not have enrolled in the first place had Duration of Status been replaced with a fixed period of admission.

Heightened scrutiny for international students

At the core of the current US immigration strategy is the administration’s belief that international students and workers could be a threat and even to national security.

As a result, the administration has shown that it is willing to use various policy levers to make it more difficult for international students to come to the US, and/or to stay after graduation. 

For the many international students who want to safeguard their ability to study, work, and potentially immigrate to the US, deciding to leave the country for travel can be risky. Re-entering means dealing with US immigration officers again at a time when the State Department is increasing refusals of visas for . It can be very difficult for students to challenge refusals from abroad – and for institutions to help them.

Several universities – with the help of legal experts – are counselling their international students to stay in the US for this reason. ��������dz����’s resource delves deeply into the risks for particular kinds of students based on their visa status or intended visa progression:

“International students are facing significantly heightened scrutiny, which could affect their status, ability to change status, and ability to re-enter the United States after international travel…F-1 students who have applied for, or are working on, post-completion optional practical training (OPT) or may be the beneficiary of an H-1B cap petition and a request to change status should be aware of the requirements and risks of travelling internationally.”

Fragomen adds: “This is true whether you are in an ongoing course of study, your 60-day grace period, a period of OPT (including a STEM extension), or in the ‘cap gap’ – the period between the end of your course of study or OPT and either the date a timely-filed H-1B change of status on your behalf will take effect, or April 1 (whichever is earlier).”

��������dz����’s guidance goes into to describe best practices for specific types of international students in different visa classes or circumstances.

The destabilising effect

Naavya Shetty, an Indian student finishing up her degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, spoke with in October 2025:

“What we [international students] felt would happen was that all these companies would develop a sense of uncertainty about hiring international students. Because who knows when a new law is going to pass that makes them have to pay a lot more for us than we might actually be ‘worth.’”

Ms Shetty explained: “In order to come here, I had to take a student loan, with a particularly high rate of interest. My parents had to mortgage our house in order for me to be able to take that loan. If I do not manage to get a job, there is quite a lot of burden on me and my family financially. The average graduate student salary [in the US] for my field is estimated to be about 100K, whereas in India, the estimated cost is around 15 to 20 lakhs – equivalent to roughly $17,000 a year.”

Keep the facts in focus

The confusing narrative around the US$100,000 H-1B application fee is daunting for employers who may not understand which applicants are affected and which are not. In fact, the fee (as of this writing) applies only to new H-1B applicants outside the US. F-1 students are exempted if they secure a job right after finishing school, which means there is no added cost for US employers wanting to hire them.

What’s more, the new rules could actually benefit F-1 international students. Employers who know about the exemption could pivot to hiring an international student graduate instead of a skilled worker outside of the US, since this would allow them to avoid the US$100,000 fee.

Law firm notes:

“[The new rules] create a sharp strategic divide. US‑based international graduates become far more attractive candidates, while employers may be reluctant to sponsor workers abroad due to the substantial additional cost …

The H-1B program is evolving into a higher cost, higher skill pathway. Employers prepared to invest in top tier talent will remain active participants, while others may pivot to alternative visa strategies or focus on international graduates already in the United States.”

The need for legal advice

��������dz����’s offers exactly the kind of counsel that can seem very elusive for students and institutions alike at this time.

For additional background, please see:

• “US suspends immigration processing for nationals from 39 travel ban countries – but F, J, and M visa processing will continue”
• “US: Student visa issuances fell by -36% in summer 2025; OPT uncertainty among factors affecting international student demand”&�Բ�����;

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The extended travel ban will affect both prospective students on the banned/restricted lists as well as current students who leave the country. Otherwise, current student visa holders are exempt.

As with President Trump’s previous travel bans, the given rationale is that the expanded list is justified by the need to protect the US and its citizens. A secondary reason provided is that nationals from those on the most recent banned and/or restricted lists have high nonimmigrant visa overstay rates.

The announcement is believed to be a response to the shooting of two National Guard troops on 26 November 2025, allegedly by an Afghan national.

Most of the new countries on the list are in Africa, as shown in the screenshot below from the .

The no-entry list as of December 2025

Visitors from the following countries will continue to be banned:

• Afghanistan
• Burma
• Chad
• Republic of the Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Iran
• Libya
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Yemen

The full ban now also expands to:

• Burkina Faso
• Laos
• Mali
• Niger
• Sierra Leone
• South Sudan
• Syria

Previously, citizens of Laos and Sierra Leone had been subject to restrictions, but they are now prevented from entering altogether.

In addition, President Trump has “also determined to fully restrict and limit the entry of individuals using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority (PA).”

The new ban who assisted the US war effort in Afghanistan (2001 to 2021). Those Afghans put themselves in mortal danger to help the US, and there are an estimated 260,000 of them who remain abroad waiting for entry to the US. Some are in third countries, but many remain in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and thus face risks to their freedoms or lives.

Even Afghans who have made it to the US on a Special Immigrant Visa or who are otherwise there legally .

The restricted entry list as of December 2025

People from Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela will continue to be restricted in their ability to come to the US, as will those from 15 countries that have just been announced:

• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Benin
• Côte d ‘Ivoire
• Dominica
• Gabon
• The Gambia
• Malawi
• Mauritania
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Tanzania
• Tonga
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

The inclusion of Nigeria on the restricted list will be especially problematic for many US colleges and universities. Nigeria sent 22,850 students in 2024, up +9% over 2023, and is now the ninth largest source of students for US institutions.

Lists are only part of US government reaction to shooting

Before the latest travel ban announcement this week, the US government announced that it would review the immigration status of lawful permanent residents and Green Card holders who had come from 19 countries that were restricted in June.

Even before the shooting, the government said it would conduct new interviews with all refugees admitted under the Biden administration.

Response to the announcement

As reported by , Laurie Ball Cooper, vice president of US Legal Programs at the International Refugee Assistance Project, said: “This expanded ban is not about national security but instead is another shameful attempt to demonize people simply for where they are from.”

NAFSA: Association of International Educators responded in an official statement:

“Blanket travel bans based on entire nationalities or visa categories do not make the United States safer. In fact, they do the opposite. They make us weaker.

Relying on travel bans to act as a shield rather than relying on the strength of U.S. vetting protocols is essentially a retreat from global engagement. Our isolationism will create a vacuum that other enterprising nations will gladly fill. At a time when countries including China, Canada, Germany, and Japan are actively courting talented students, scholars, and researchers from around the world, this travel ban sends the message that the United States is better off without their contributions.

Furthermore, the proclamation’s rationale is based in part on visa overstay rates that are known to be deeply flawed. Using inaccurate data to justify a policy that has such far-reaching consequences for U.S. global engagement is misleading.

The administration’s latest actions will undoubtedly prevent some of the world’s best and brightest students from contributing to U.S. predominance in research, science, and innovation. This is yet another grave misstep that will have long-lasting consequences on U.S. global competitiveness.
We urge the administration to work with Congress to enact policy solutions that would reverse the damage this action and others are causing to our national interest.”

For additional background, please see:

• “US warns of expanded travel ban that could affect key African markets“
• “What are the latest developments for international students in the United States?“

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Executive Director Gonzalo Peralta says that, while the significant visa processing delays that hampered growth in 2022 have eased, further improvements are needed. “Visa processing times are much better but still not up to our expectations,” he said to ���Ϲ��� Monitor this week. “We want better for our agencies and students and we will continue to press government on this issue. Of the three categories of visas, eTA () is the one that functions best – it is much faster and at a lower cost. Although it is not reasonable to believe that TRVs (a , or Temporary Resident Visa) and could attain the same level of speed and low cost, they can improve. IRCC is undergoing a modernisation drive and Languages Canada will do everything possible to ensure the needs of language students are considered and included in the new system.”

Please consult the links above for detailed guidance from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on each visa class. But to recap quickly: visa-exempt travellers to Canada require an eTA. Short-term visitors – that is, those planning to visit or study for less than six months – from countries that require a visa need to obtain a visitor visa (also known as a TRV) – but not an eTA. And those intending to study for more than six months require a study permit.

Most language students enter Canada with an eTA or TRV. In 2022, for example, the average duration of study was 11.2 weeks.

However, that requirement to obtain a study permit for longer-term language studies also means that those students intending to pursue language programmes of six months or more in Canada are now also captured under the cap on international study permits introduced by IRCC on 22 January 2024. IRCC officials subsequently explained to ���Ϲ��� Monitor that, “Many students pursuing language training in Canada don’t require a study permit, as their course is shorter than six months, and would not be counted under the cap or require a provincial attestation letter. Those pursuing programmes that last six months or longer would be subject to the cap and the attestation letter requirement.”

Languages Canada has since been advocating for an exemption for longer-term language students similar to the exception granted to K-12 and masters/doctoral students, which are not captured under the cap. Appearing via video call at in Vancouver, IRCC Minister Marc Miller said that he was not prepared to entertain further exemptions at this time.

Mr Peralta makes it clear, however, that as far as the sector is concerned the question is not yet settled: “Languages Canada will continue to press for an exemption for students of our Official Languages from the cap imposed on 22 January 2024. Minister Miller did not rule it out, although he is committed to launching the current process as it stands before making changes such as [additional] exemptions. This means that no changes can be expected before the end of the year.”

He adds that, “Languages Canada’s position on the new cap system is simple: we agree with the what, but not the how. Abuse was happening and a correction was needed, including some type of controlling mechanism. But the way government went about it has created a lot of unnecessary thrash. Looking down the line, after things settle, we expect a better situation. The most important step for our members to take at this time is to maximise [return on investment] – every application for a study permit should be given to students with the best chances of obtaining entry to Canada.”

New visa requirements for some Mexican travellers

Most recently, IRCC announced on 29 February 2024 that (TRV). The official IRCC release explains that, “Mexican citizens who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years and are travelling by air on a Mexican passport will be able to apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA). With the high number of Mexican citizens currently holding US visas, the majority will continue to enjoy visa-free travel to Canada. Those who do not meet these conditions will need to apply for a Canadian visitor visa.”

The change arises because of “an increase in asylum claims made by Mexican citizens” visiting in Canada, but it carries with it important implications for Canada’s language training sector. With year-over-year growth of 14% in 2023, Mexico was the #2 sending market for Canada’s language schools last year.

“We are disappointed but understand the reimposition of visa requirements for Mexican travellers to Canada,” says Mr Peralta. “Our country is generous but the number of asylum seekers, including from Mexico, has increased too quickly for our resources to handle. Mexican citizens with access to eTAs still have ease of entry, of course, and we will keep an eye on visa processing times for TRVs and study permits. The change in visa requirements requires that our members and partners in Mexico change tactics, improve coordination, and perhaps most important, be more selective in student selection.”

For additional background, please see:

• Connect with providers of English and French language training programmes at ���Ϲ��� North America, Niagara Falls, 1–3 May 2024″
• “Canada’s language training sector rebounded in 2022 but growth hampered by visa delays“
• “What we’ve learned (so far) about Canada’s new student visa rules“

The post Canada’s language training sector continues to strengthen amid new immigration settings appeared first on ���Ϲ��� Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Spanish Universities Minister Joan Subirats says, “We have to find ways to retain [international student] talent that we have trained so they can keep their residence status and look for work for two years.”

Currently, non-EU students in Spain are granted residence permits for only one year and must apply for an annual extension to continue their studies. After graduation, students can apply for a post-study work visa to remain in the country for a year to look for a job, . This rule makes it difficult for non-EU students to remain in the country unless they have ample financial resources. reports that,

“Thousands of students who earned diplomas in Spain have already left the country. Over the past decade, 90,000 graduates in Spain moved to other countries to develop their careers.”

The LOSU legislation is being prepared by the Spanish government and will require parliamentary approval before being passed into law. If passed, the new rules are expected to come into effect in 2023.

Red tape hampering student mobility to Spain

According to , these are some of the challenges that Spanish universities have faced in recruiting international students:

“There’s the fact that it takes years for their prior qualifications to be validated before being allowed to study at a Spanish institution, the not-so-small matter of having to sit the Spanish EBAU baccalaureate unless there’s a reciprocity agreement, as well as the issue that once their studies are completed their residence in Spain isn’t guaranteed, among other setbacks.”

Those issues have limited Spain’s ability to compete for international students as effectively as countries like the UK, France, and Germany, even though Spain offers relatively low tuition fees.

On average, annual tuition for a bachelor’s degree at a public Spanish university is €550 to €3,500, while tuition for a master’s degree is €750 to €4,000. Private colleges set their own rates, however, so fees can be higher in this sector.

Over the past few years, the number of international students in Spain has grown steadily, and the country is known as the top destination for students participating in the Erasmus mobility programme. Just under 10% of students in Spanish universities in 2021 were from other countries.

Spain needs to attract more students

The ability to attract international students is becoming increasingly important to the Spanish government. reports that “higher education institutions are set to lose up to 20% of their students aged 18 to 29 by 2035,” an event that would see universities struggle financially and that would see too few skilled workers enter Spain’s labour force.

Graduates of Spanish universities often leave to work in other countries such as the UK and Germany. Over the past two decades, so-called “brain drain” has affected Southern and Eastern European countries such as Spain, Italy, Romania, and Greece more than those in Western/Northern Europe. Causes for the emigration of degree-holding students include a sense among youth that public spending is insufficient or poorly allocated, that public services are inadequate, and that there are better job opportunities elsewhere. The has been severe enough to prompt the governments of Italy and Greece to offer tax incentives to encourage citizens who have left the country to return. Spain has its own “Return to Spain” strategy that offers grants and discounts for scientists and entrepreneurs.

Focus on Africa

Attracting international students and high-skilled workers from Africa is also part of an overall plan – “” – to change the dynamics of mobility between Africa and Spain. As it forges stronger diplomatic and economic ties with African countries, the Spanish government hopes to encourage and train Africans to enter knowledge-based occupations and industries in Spain. Currently, many Africans who leave their countries for Spain end up working in informal sectors that do not contribute to the Spanish economy.

A particular focus is Morocco, where have been the works for a couple of years to help Moroccans to earn master’s degrees in Spain. Morocco is now one of of students to Spain.

For additional background, please see:

• “Tracking the growing appeal of European study destinations”
• “Spanish universities detail pandemic impacts and strategies for 2020/21”

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