An Indian diaspora policy group warned that a new four-year cap on F-1 and J-1 visas could disrupt international students’ degrees and research in the US. FIIDS urged delaying implementation, citing risks to universities, innovation, and America’s global competitiveness
The US has introduced fixed stay limits for student, exchange visitor and journalist visas, ending indefinite admission rules. The policy caps most F and J visas at four years, shortens post-study grace periods, and increases federal oversight, affecting thousands of Indian students
A US appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s bid to fast-track third-country deportations, upholding a lower court injunction. The judges cited failure to meet legal standards and warned of irreparable harm from wrongful removals pending further judicial review
The Trump Administration has announced sweeping reforms to the H-1B visa system, replacing the random lottery with a weighted selection process that favours higher-skilled and higher-paid foreign workers. The new rules will take effect from February 27 and apply to the fiscal year 2027 H-1B cap season.
This new selection process would incentivise employers to offer higher wages or petition for positions requiring higher skills and higher-skilled workers instead of using the programme to fill relatively lower-paid vacancies.
Cyberattacks by foreign activity groups are not only targeting political groups, but are stepping up their efforts to attack individuals and think-tanks and campaigns of Trump and Biden, say security experts
"The rules being implemented by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor undermine high-skilled immigration in the US and a company's ability to retain and recruit the very best talent."
The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in “speciality occupations” that require theoretical or technical expertise.
