The United States could lose as much as $7 billion in revenue and more than 60,000 jobs, according to an alarming new projection from NAFSA: Association of International Educators, a non-profit organisation.
The decline in jobs and ultimately revenue stems from a potential 30-40% drop in new international students’ enrollments in US universities this fall, which could translate into a 15% overall decline in higher education admissions.
Since there is no significant recovery in visa issuance for international students in July and August, up to 150,000 fewer students may arrive US for education this fall, the report by NAFSA said.
Recently, President Donald Trump’s administration has launched a sweeping effort to check the presence of international students in the US, targeting universities like Harvard and pausing issuance of visas.
- Downward Visa Trends: Issuance of F-1 visa (strictly for full-time students) is down 12% from January to April 2025 and down 22% in May 2025 compared to May 2024. Even though June 2025 F-1 issuance data has not yet been published, NAFSA predicts a decrease of around 80–90%.
- Visa Bans: Since the US has put restrictions on 19 countries for visa issuance as of a June 4, 2025, with another 36 rumoured to be added, it may threaten $3 billion in annual contributions in revenue and more than 25,000 American jobs.
Recommendations by NAFSA
For a country that has long positioned itself as the global hub of higher education, this trend signals more than just a temporary visa backlog. It reflects a potentially lasting shift in how International students perceive education in America in the current times.
To mitigate this alarming trend in cities, towns, and institutions, NAFSA has given the following guidelines to the State Department:
international students, higher education, enrollment decline, visa backlog, lost revenue
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