The mass layoffs in US tech giants Meta, Twitter, Amazon, and others have left many Indian techies and professionals at the risk of being deported. With the notice period for some coming to an end, is switching to the F-1 student visa a viable option to stay on in the US?
As per the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the F-1 student visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows international students to live in the US and study at US institutions.
A 34-year-old woman who worked as a recruiter for FAANG company plans on opting for an F-1 student visa in case she does not land a job within her grace period.
She told Business Today, “If I am not able to find another job in the next 3 months, I will try the F-1 student visa. In fact, I have started reviewing SEVP universities so that I can upskill to more secure roles for my next stint.”
A SEVP institute is an institution that has a certification as per the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The US DHS website claims that there are 8,744 institutions with SEVP accreditation.
The HR professional also listed several benefits of the F-1 student visa. She said that apart from extending her stay in the US, the student visa would also allow her to work in certain roles and allow her family members to live in the US for a certain amount of time.
“If after enrolling in a college, I want to work on the side, an F-1 visa would allow that. Moreover, my family members can also stay with me for some time if I get the F1 visa,” she said.
The US DHS website says that the F-2 visa provides a temporary permit for the immediate family of F-1 student visa holders to stay in the US. It also notes that F1 visa holders can be employed in specific jobs.
The HR professional was given a two-month notice period post which her employment would end. “With the notice period plus a grace period of my H1 B visa, I have till late March to get another job. The academic sessions start in the fall, so I have to sort everything by mid-February.”
But academia is not always an option for NRIs. The high cost of living in the US coupled with expensive college programs make this option less tempting for many professionals.
“College is extremely expensive in the US. Add the cost of living to that, not everybody would be ready to get an F1 visa,” said Priyanshi Somani, a student currently enrolled at Massachusetts College.
Somani also explained that not all degrees from the US could help one’s career. “In desperation, if someone enrolls in any of the SEVP colleges, they will only end up burning money. It is not like all the programs will propel your career. If one just wants to burn money, they can get into a college, the acceptance rate is up to 85 per cent for many programs so getting admission will not be a problem. But what value will it add, that assessment one has to make themselves,” Somani said.