Higher education organisations in the US previously warned that overall enrolment for the next academic year will drop by 15%, while a projected decline of 25% of international students is expected.
The 25% decline in international student enrolment would lead to a loss of approximately $10 billion and 114,000 jobs to the US economy, NAFSA has said.
“We can unequivocally state that [international students and scholars] are vital to the US economy,” NAFSA executive director and CEO, Esther D. Brimmer said.
“International students create jobs, drive innovation, enrich our campuses and communities, strengthen national security, and become America’s greatest foreign policy assets.”
In 2019, international students contributed nearly $41 billion to the US economy, supporting more than 458,000 jobs, she added.
“International education the fifth-largest US services export. Nearly one-quarter of the founders of the $1 billion US startup companies first came to America as international students. In times of international crises such as this one, it is abundantly clear how our best efforts to address global challenges must draw on global talent,” Brimmer added.
