Hi Da Pu Ben!
On Christmas Eve, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made it clear in the latest policy guidelines just released: international students can also apply directly for a U.S. green card, that is, a permanent residence card!
This is a pleasant Christmas gift for international students who have the American Dream in mind!
It is reported that on December 20, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service updated the policy guidelines for student visas (F and M) on its official website:
The guidelines provide clarity on the common concerns of international students and their families about employment permits, changes of status, extension of residence, and reinstatement applications in the United States.
For many international students, one of them can be said to be a milestone!
The guidelines make it clear that international students in the U.S. can apply for a green card directly and will not affect their status during the application process.
In other words, even if these students renew their visas after returning to their home countries, or if they leave the U.S. and re-enter the country, they will not be denied visas or deported because they have applied for a green card or have immigrant intentions.
The guidelines emphasize that students on F and M visas can be applicants for permanent labor certification applications or immigrant visas, provided they need to prove that they have not abandoned their Foreign Residence and can still prove that they intend to return to their home country after a period of temporary residence.
As long as you meet the above requirements, you may have the opportunity to travel to the United States on a student visa at the same time as applying for a green card.
The guidelines also allow international students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to work at startups for OPT (Xi after graduation for F1 visa students).
However, startups must comply with specific requirements, including complying with training programs, maintaining good standing in the E-Verify system, and offering equal pay to similarly situated U.S. workers.
This is undoubtedly a win-win option for startups and international students.
It is worth noting that there are not many ways for international students to apply for a green card directly, if they apply on their own, they can only go through the "high-profile" version of the EB-1 version and the "low-level version" of the "low-level version of the alien of extraordinary ability" (NIW), and the international students who can achieve the above two types of immigration need to be at least in the master's degree or above.
On May 18, 2016, in New York, USA, several Chinese students attended the graduation ceremony of Columbia University. Xinhua
This update to USCIS guidelines shows that the U.S. is actively seeking talent.
At the end of October this year, U.S. President Joe Biden also signed the first executive order on artificial intelligence (AI), which has the most significant impact on U.S. immigration applicants, which hopes to promote AI innovation by attracting foreign talent, and provides policy guidance for attracting and retaining talent in the field of artificial intelligence.
The executive order announced that immigration barriers to highly skilled workers would be adjusted. This includes not only international students studying Xi in the United States related to artificial intelligence, but also professionals and top talents in the field of AI from all over the world.
It seems that the United States is still very serious about rushing for AI talents.
On October 30, U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on AI regulation at the White House. (AP Photo)
Canada's New Deal: Significant restrictions on international students
On December 7, Immigration Canada released the latest student visa policy, which has a significant impact on international students!
Here are the key takeaways from the policy:
Increased living expenses requirements for visa applications
The Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller, has announced that from January 1, 2024, there will be an increase in the cost Xi of living requirements for Study Permit applicants.
Applicants will need to prove that they have the first year's tuition fees and also provide a deposit of $20,635, which is equivalent to 75% of the LICO (Canadian Minimum Income Standard).
This policy was introduced in the early 2000s, but the amount remained at $10,000 for a long time. Over time, financial requirements can't keep up with the cost of living, leading students to arrive in Canada only to find out that they don't have enough money.
If the applicant intends to bring their family along, they must also present an additional $4000, which is $333 per month. For each additional family member, they must show an additional $3,000, or $255 per month.
In the future, Statistics Canada will adjust this threshold each year when it updates the Low Income Criterion (LICO). In other words, the standard of living expenses for international students applying for a study permit will increase every year after that.
The exemption for off-campus part-time work for international students has been extended
Last year, Immigration Canada lifted the restriction on the number of hours international students can work off-campus during classes. Previously, the limit was 20 hours.
The policy of lifting restrictions was originally scheduled to expire at the end of this year, and the latest announcement is to extend the exemption for working hours until April 30 next year.
Online courses are eligible for work permit applications
The RCC will allow international students to count online Xi time towards their total Xi time for future PGWP applications, provided that the online course accounts for less than 50% of all course time.
This policy applies to students who start school before September 1, 2024, and students who start Xi after that will no longer be subject to this policy.
The post-graduation work permit is allowed to be extended for the last time
Post-graduation work permit holders who expire before 31 December 2023 still have the opportunity to extend their post-work permit for another 18 months.
However, this policy will not be extended further.
Study permit is restricted
At the same time, the Canadian federal government announced that it would "substantially" limit the number of Xi permits issued in response to fraud and abuse in Canada's international student program.
The Canadian government wants Xi institutions to accept the number of students they can accommodate, rather than over-accepting large numbers of students.
Over the past decade, the number of Canadian Xi permit holders has tripled, from 300,000 in 2013 to 900,000 this year, contributing $22 billion to the economy and supporting 200,000 jobs.