Aditi (name changed) is concerned about her future. Currently on an F-1 visa in the US, she is working for a research firm with an OPT (Optional Practical Training) work permit. The 24-year-old missed the H-1B lottery last year and hopes to make it this year.
However, the arrival of the Donald Trump administration raises a big question mark over the process. There is little clarity on whether or not the selection process — and the number of H-1B visas issued — will change.
Also read | H-1B, F1-OPT visa anxiety grips Telugu techies, students
She has a student loan to repay for her postgrad STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) course at a prestigious institution, and returning to India could make that difficult.
In fact, Aditi was planning to visit India for a holiday and return by the end of January. But she cancelled it in the fear that those on F-1 visas may not be allowed back by the immigration department once Trump takes over.
Also read: Some relief for Indian IT firms, techies as Trump backs H-1B visa
“I couldn’t take the risk,’’ Aditi told The Federal.
Visa fears plague students
S Abhinaya, a student from Chennai, was excited to travel to the US for her undergraduate studies in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry in Fall 2025. She is now anxious amid apprehensions over new immigration policies the Trump administration may implement.
“I decided to study Molecular Biology in the US when I was in class 11. When I learned that I could complete the degree in three years and also save close to 20 per cent of the course cost, I prepared with enthusiasm. I convinced my parents to take a loan because the course fee of the US university is comparable to that of a top university in India. But now I’m upset,” Abhinaya told The Federal.
Her parents were willing to take a loan because they believed the degree would offer her international exposure for research and help her secure a good job.
Concerns everywhere
Thousands of young Indian professionals and students like Aditi and Abhinaya are upset about any new regulations that may be introduced by the Trump administration.
Educationist and consultant D Nedunchezhiyan says that many Indian students currently studying in the US and on holiday in India have received emails from their universities, asking them to get back by January 20, when Trump takes over.
Also read: US polls: H1-B and student visas, tariff policies at stake for Indians
“Some universities have asked students to report before January 20, while others have issued advisories expecting policy changes,” he told The Federal.
“Although any new changes would primarily affect students who join in the Fall semester (August to December), those in the Spring semester (January to May) are also anxious,” he added.
“So far, no formal announcements have been made. However, due to hate campaigns on social media platforms against foreign workers who secure employment after completing their studies in the US, students are worried.”
Importance of OPT
Nedunchezhiyan explained how the OPT has vastly helped Indian students looking to enter the US job market after their degrees.
“In recent years, many Indian students have benefited from OPT. This allows F-1 visa students to work in the US in a role related to their degree,” he said.
“They can also apply for a two-year extension after completing one year under OPT if they graduate in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. This gives them an additional opportunity to work in the US job market. There is also a good chance that they will obtain an H-1B visa by the time their OPT expires.
“However, this American dream may not work out if the new government introduces policies against foreign workers.”
Also read: 10 things to know about Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan 20
Nedunchezhiyan referred to recent data on Indian students, per the Open Doors report on international educational exchange. In 2023-24, there were 97,556 Indian students on OPT, a 41 per cent increase from the previous year, he said.
Higher tuition fees
Students aspiring to study at US universities will have to think twice before joining those programmes, he said.
“US universities are expecting a significant cut in budget allocations. This will likely force them to raise tuition fees and reduce scholarships for international students, which means the cost of higher education in the US will increase for Indian students. We are uncertain whether the Trump administration will continue the OPT programme,” he told The Federal.
Several social media handles run by American workers are advocating against the OPT programme and accusing it of harming their employment, demanding reforms in visa programmes.
For example, an X handle named US Tech Workers has been posting videos and demanding that the US government end H1-B visas.
Also read: Days after backing H-1B visa, Musk says system ‘broken’, needs reforms
Hate campaigns
“The OPT program is a guest worker scheme disguised as an internship for foreign students. Universities are selling work permits instead of education. Created illegally like DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), Trump should end OPT to protect American college grads from unfair competition,” says a post from the US Tech Workers group.
“After STEM-OPT was introduced, the number of international students, particularly from India and China, skyrocketed. Universities actively advertised STEM-OPT to attract these students, seeing them as a lucrative source of revenue,” the post says.
Sources in the US consulate, however, told The Federal that so far, there has been no official information on any visa regulation.
“We have not received any information on the visa process. We cannot comment on this. Students who are anxious or have any doubts can contact the USIEF for clarity. The US consulate recently opened its fifth and newest office in Bengaluru, in addition to the existing ones in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad. This was opened considering the inflow of Indian students to various US universities,” said the source.
Contact details for USIEF:
EducationUSA toll-free hotline: 1-800-103-1231
United States-India Educational Foundation – Headquarters: New Delhi
info@usief.org.in
Tel: 91-11-4209-0909 / 2332-8944
– Chennai: usiefchennai@usief.org.in
91-44-2857-4131 or 91-44-2857-4423
– Hyderabad: usiefhyderabad@usief.org.in
91-8008465712 / 8008462560
– Kolkata: usiefkolkata@usief.org.in
033-3984-6310
Mumbai: usiefmumbai@usief.org.in
91-22-2262-4603 Fax: +91-22-2266-3956
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