US: Overseas Students Visa Applications Back Once Again!

Attract More Students – The Student Visa has always been a topic for concern for countries such as USA. Lately,

The United States government has declared that it has altered its student visa application process to make it easier for students to come to the United States. It is an effort of the country to attract more students on their part.

Job Council – As a matter of fact, even The US President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness (formed in January this year) has recommended their founder, President Barack Obama to ease United States visa laws. Some of the recent statistics compelled leading business to submit a report to the President asking for a wide variety of efforts targeted to create more jobs than before and inspiring the economy, counting immigration reform as well.

Council Composition – The council is made up of some of the most celebrated American entrepreneurs including Jeffrey Immelt Chairman and CEO of General Electric, Steve Case, Co-Founder AOL and Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook. The council was asked to locate the policy areas that were capable of being improved to boost the economy. The recommendations regarding the concerned changes were handed to the president in a council meeting held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Recommendations – The recommendations included the relaxation of constraints on immigration for highly-skilled workers, together with a system by which technology, science and engineering graduates can get hold of a prolonged US visa for a job in the country. The council report states that it is important to separate highly-skilled category from others. Hence, the President is advised to retain and encourage only the most budding overseas brains in the country.

Added Reforms – Apart from the above, added reforms take in removing capital gains tax on investments of $25 million or less, making a new income driven student loan reimbursement system, and investing in public infrastructure undertakings, which chiefly includes modernizing roads and docks.

Jakarta, For Example - "The student visa services procedure has been improved and will now be handled quickly to attract more Indonesian students to the United States. As compared to last year an estimated twenty-five percent more student visas have been granted in 2011 already," Scot Marciel, US Ambassador to Indonesia alleged as quoted by a website. In the meantime, the embassy has organized the 2011 US Higher Education Job Fair in Jakarta as well.

Aim of Relaxation – Marciel stated that the aim of relaxing the student visa application processes was made to enhance the affiliation of two countries. As per a survey, the US is still the preferred place of Indonesian students for higher studies. The US Embassy in Indonesia has already issued 90% of student visa applications submitted in between June and August this year.