US higher education faces $7 billion hit as international commencements set to drop by 40% this September

A new analysis by NAFSA and JB International forecasts a 30–40% decline in international student commencements in the US this September, largely due to visa processing delays and new travel bans. The projected drop may lead to the loss of 150,000 students, costing the US economy an estimated US$7 billion and over 60,000 jobs. Stakeholders, including Members of Congress, are calling on the US government to urgently prioritise student visa processing.