America 'opens the door' for international students to stay and work, Australia has its 44th university

Some prominent study abroad countries have new updates on visa policies and training markets in the coming time for international students.

Students at Harvard University, the top university in the US

PHOTO: HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Why do international students in the US benefit?

From January 17, international students will have more opportunities to apply for H-1B visas than before thanks to new regulations from the current President Joe Biden's administration. Specifically, previously international students only had a few months to transition from F-1 student visas to H-1B work visas, or they would have to leave the US. Now, the waiting period will be extended by 6 months, according to the US Department of Homeland Security.

This helps create more opportunities for international students who have just graduated or completed Optional Practical Training (OPT) to stay in the US to continue working without interruption.

In addition, the new regulation also allows employers to apply for H-1B visas for employees at any time of the year, instead of only on October 1 as before. At the same time, the new regulation also allows non-profit or government-affiliated research organizations to increase their opportunities to apply for H-1B visas for scientists from abroad, the Study Travel newspaper analyzed.

The H-1B is a visa that allows applicants to stay and work in the US for a certain period of time, for foreigners with specialized skills in certain occupations. This is one of the most competitive visas in the US immigration system, with 85,000 visas issued out of 400,000 applications in 2024. Tesla, Google, Amazon are the top H-1B visa sponsors, The PIE News reported.

Earlier in December 2024, the US State Department removed the requirement to return home for at least two years for those with J-1 visas from 37 countries, making it easier for this group to stay in the US through other immigration routes. However, this regulation does not apply to all because if participating in a government-sponsored program (such as a Fulbright scholarship) or a postgraduate medical training program, candidates are still required to return home for two years.

Australia officially has 44 universities.

Australian media recently reported that the Australian College of Theology (ACT) will be registered in the "Australian University" category of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), officially becoming the 44th university in the country. This is an "uphill battle" due to the lengthy and costly appeal process with TEQSA, The Koala News commented.

Currently, ACT has 3% international students. The school offers courses in theology, ministry and Christian studies. In 2022, the school had 2,734 students, of which 69 were international students. And according to Directive 111 issued by the Australian government, the school is expected to recruit 15 new international students in 2025.

Not including ACT, Australia has 43 government-recognized universities, including 40 public schools, 2 international schools and 1 private school.

Vietnamese students learn about opportunities to study in Malaysia at an event organized by the Malaysian government in Ho Chi Minh City in 2024.

Regarding study abroad opportunities, an emerging study abroad country, Malaysia, announced on January 9 that it will implement a new common system to simplify admission for international students. The information was given by Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, Minister of Higher Education of Malaysia, in a speech at the University of Technology Malaysia and is considered one of the 10 focuses in university education that Malaysia is aiming for in 2025, according to the Malay Mall newspaper.

“The system will use advanced algorithms and blockchain technology to instantly verify the degrees and certificates submitted by international students,” Zambry said, adding that it will also work with the applicant’s home country to ensure a smooth and secure admission process. At the same time, he said the long-running admissions process can be made more efficient.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/my-noi-cua-cho-du-hoc-sinh-o-lai-lam-viec-uc-co-dh-thu-44-185250114143657358.htm