It is unfortunate that most of us have voluntarily made our future significantly dependent on an outcome which seems abysmally doomed.   I am talking about the day when the dollar dreams of  tens of thousands of Indians got shattered as Donald Trump was bestowed with the majority of votes and won the Presidential elections. It came as a bolt from the blue as analysts were pretty sure that the benevolent Hillary Clinton would make it. But alas! Almost three months since then and Joffrey is finally on the throne (GoT pun intended). It is agonizing to fathom that the most feared thing among the students who aspired to pursue their masters in the USA, is now a reality.

Such is the tremor of fear, the President of USA has caused the aspiring Indian youth suddenly start talking about global politics with sky high enthusiasm and its impact on a personal level. During all those mud-slinging episodes with his opposition, he had made it very clear that the immigration rules will be made stringent and that the intake of foreign students will be curbed to a great extent. One week as the President and looks like he is already making things happen. Brickbats from all over the world for his vicious decision on banning the migrants from seven countries which majorly practice Islam doesn’t seem to bother him a bit. And now he’s made a call on the visas.

As much as I hate to acknowledge the fact that it is time we get pragmatic about this scenario, I suggest we start looking for alternatives. There could possibly be three to four consequences because of the chaotic situation in the USA and I’d like to give my personal opinion, of course after much profound research, on how we must plan for our masters.

CASE 1:

PERMITTED THE STUDENT VISA BUT DENIED A WORK VISA:

If we ponder into this case, considering that you get the student visa (F1 visa as it is called) and in two years or one and a half years, you complete your masters and find yourself hunting for a job. It seems that during the last three to four months of your course, you start looking for a job. A few universities do have campus placements and during that period, a few companies make it very clear that only the locals (Americans in this case), are applicable and I’m sure this will increase from now on. And then, there are companies which accept the international students as well. No doubt the locals are prioritized. It is very important to note that a general student visa is for five years which implies that within two years of it you complete yours masters and end up with a job. And in the remaining time you apply for the working visa (H-1B) and get it sanctioned. The issue of visa is done on a lottery basis because of the mammoth number of applicants. There are a few cases where students manage a job through a consultancy and such students are prohibited from getting the work visa. According to the latest modifications, you get a work visa sanctioned only if you get a job paying 130,000 USD annually. Keeping in mind the racial discrimination, the high competition, managing a job paying you that amount only seems like an extension of a Bollywood movie. If you make it possible, well and good but consider the alternative – you don’t get the work visa and are forced to return to India because they are not going to allow you stay illegally. And coming to India with that foreign degree will be completely futile. You will get the same job which you could have managed even without that degree.

I don’t intend to play a spoilsport but my aim is only to make you cognizant about the current situation and make you ponder into the fact that, will investing a huge amount of like 20-30 lakhs be worth it, if you are going to eventually land up in India?

CASE 2:

PERMITTED THE WORK VISA AS WELL:

Now considering this case, optimists that we are, that we get the work visa (H-1B).

There is a huge possibility that in the coming three to four years, America might not be the super power that it is today. Looking at the current political furor, it seems to be one of the biggest possibilities. I mean, looking at the protests at the JFK airport in New York it seems to be very analogous to the Telangana agitations and we have had the closest of the experiences of it. For sure, the president over there is going to make many harsh, unacceptable decisions which will diminish their unity and the nation might lose its spark and grace which it had developed over the years. And being given a work visa, sadly doesn’t ensure you safety. Because we will be made the soft target one day and none of us would like to be on the receiving end.

CASE 3:

ALTERNATIVES LIKE CANADA, AUSTRALIA, SINGAPORE OR GERMANY:

This particular case is obviously a consequence of the above two. The restrictions on the immigrants in the USA has surely opened the floodgates to different countries like Canada, Australia, Singapore and Germany.

My next article will deal with this case and I will get back to you with helpful knowledge. Stay tuned!

Thank you.

Share this on: