• The Trump administration has implemented new visa regulations limiting stays for international students to four years.
• Foreign journalists can now stay for up to 240 days, with stricter limits for Chinese nationals.
• These changes are part of a broader immigration crackdown aimed at monitoring visa compliance.
• The grace period for students to leave or switch visas after graduation has been reduced from 60 to 30 days.
• Higher education institutions express concern over the potential negative impacts on student enrollment and academic research.

The Trump administration has finalized a new rule limiting the duration of stay for international students, exchange visitors, and journalists. Under this regulation, most international students on F-1 and J-1 visas will be allowed up to four years in the U.S. Foreign journalists on I visas can stay for up to 240 days, while Chinese journalists will be restricted to 90 days. These changes mark a significant shift from the previous policy that allowed visa holders to remain in the U.S. for the duration of their programs, which has been in place for decades, according to Indiatimes, Le Monde, and Channel News Asia.

The changes, which are scheduled to take effect in September, are intended to enhance monitoring of visa compliance, as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reported instances of students remaining in the U.S. for extended periods while not actively pursuing their studies. The DHS stated that the move will make the system more efficient and accountable, citing that "for too long, past Administrations have allowed foreign students...to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely," as reported by Al Jazeera and BBC.