Trump’s visa policy: US to lose 40,000 jobs, $3.4bn over drop in international students enrollment
The United States of America is set to lose $3.4 billion and 40,000 jobs following drops in international students enrollment caused by visa policies of President Donald Trump.
According to Business Day News, the report is based on a joint analysis by NAFSA, an association of international educators and JB, an education technology firm.
The analysis reported that the United States experienced a 9.5 percent drop in overall international student enrollment for the 2026–27 cycle.
It noted that the drop was caused by tightening regulatory climate and mounting administrative delays by US immigration.
Another factor is the executive order placed by Trump in December 2025 which restricted nationals from 39 countries without carve-outs for student or exchange visitor visas.
Also quoting data from the Institute of International Education’s Spring 2026, Business Day News reported that numbers of international students will fall to 1.05 million, down from 1.16 million recorded in the 2025/26 period.
The analysis further revealed that during the 2023/ 2024 academic year, foreign students generated a record $43.8 billion for the United States economy and supported upwards of 378,000 domestic jobs through tuition payments and local consumer expenditures on housing, dining, and transportation.
Among states to be hit most with incoming year’s academy enrollment shortfall is California which is expected to experience localized reduction at an estimated $499.6 million, followed closely by New York at $470.3 million.
Others are Massachusetts and Michigan with each to lose $284 million and Texas $199.1 million.
To address the issue, efforts are being made by NAFSA to lobby the government to give priority to student visa interview scheduling, and grant student exemptions under active travel bans, and maintain the existing structure of the OPT program.
