Do we have any numbers of how many of these foreign individuals stay in the country after graduation? When you think about how immigration works, immigrants are very disproportionately likely to be high-performing individuals, given the criteria for them to enter the country. If they stay in the country to contribute to the economy after graduation, then all I can say is that I'm glad they still think that this is a desirable country to come to.
I can't speak to overall statistical numbers, but of the 75+ international graduate students that I've spoken to, I would estimate at least 85% plan to stay in the U.S.
I find this particularly surprising given that their status is essentially that of indentured servants; their advisors can deport them at any time with only 14 days of notice. This one-way power dynamic can produce cruel, callous treatment and merciless working hours, both of which I've observed first-hand. And yet, these same professors will turn around and collaborate politely and respectfully with American students (assuming that they will take on American students in their labs; many will not!).
My friend quit his postdoc with a prestigious researcher in his field after witnessing the abuse the international students in the same group were subjected to.
My friend stopped graduate school at a MS and didn’t pursue a PhD because all the American grad students were forced to take teaching assistantships while the foreign grad students were given research assistantships.
Indeed, I think this is one of the biggest strengths of the US. Think about many of the smartest minds in science of the 20th century— many were immigrants to the US.
