File photo of students applying to the US for higher studies at the US consulate in Mumbai

Kulwinder Singh from Ludhiana faces the dilemma of whether to send his daughter to the US for higher education or not. Considering her strong academic credentials, Singh is sure of her placement in Ivy League US universities. His worry is whether her academic student visa (F-1) would lead to a work visa (H1-B) later, as used to be the normal practice so far.

His case exemplifies all those planning an American education for their kids. After clamping down on H1-B visas, the Trump administration has put F1 visa - granted to international students, under the radar. New guidelines put restrictions on work that can be done during the critical Optional Practical Training (OPT) period after the completion of first year, which for most students determines whether they can nurture the hope of getting an H-1B visa, and subsequently, permanent residency. This is making parents rethink on the choice of foreign lands they want to send their wards to.

The F-1 Visa (academic student) allows a candidate to enter the United States as a fulltime student at an accredited college or university. So far, F-1 students were able to engage in three types of off-campus employments after the completion of first academic year: curricular practical training, optional practical training and science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

Read also: Who is getting the most H-1B visas?

Balwinder Katyal, a final year student of mechanical engineering at the University of illinoisis at Chicago, says, "more than money, development can be a deterrent in preparing the right case for the H1-B visa , which all students intend to get. My employer is helpful but he won't be able to do much if the state of affairs remain same."

This is despite IT behemoths like Infosys scaling up and getting more serious about hiring in the US. Last fiscal, Infosys hired 3,900 workers in America.

Students from Punjab and Gujarat, seeking admissions to US colleges, top the list. The exorbitant fee charged from South Asian students, contributes substantially to the US economy. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) guidelines suggest that F1 visa students can be approved for an OPT only if they are allowed to work onsite, or on the premises of a company who has sponsored them for the work-study period.

“This used to be a discriminatory practice as students were paid peanuts in most of the cases by the firms. No one would talk about it, as every student would angle for H1-B visa and maybe permanent residency later,” says New York-based education consultant Sujata Patel.

