Indian students in US buckle under visa heat & job crunch | Hyderabad News

HYDERABAD: Amid stricter visa enforcement and shrinking work alternatives, Indian students in the US are struggling to make ends meet. Official data present that greater than 4,700 scholar visas have been revoked in latest months for irregular attendance or unauthorised employment. Workplace inspections in a number of states have pressured students to desert part-time jobs that after lined lease and every day bills.Students instructed TOI they’ve both in the reduction of drastically on spending or turned to household for assist.“Earlier, I managed to balance studies and a job at a restaurant. I worked at least eight hours a day. But after the checks began, my employer let go of all student workers. I found another restaurant job, but they allow us to work for not more than three hours a day. My earnings don’t even cover groceries,” stated a 25-year-old scholar in Los Angeles pursuing a grasp’s in cyber safety.

The monetary crunch has pressured many to share cramped housing. “I used to earn about $1,200 a month, enough to manage my living costs. Now I make less than a quarter of that. There are six of us in a two-bedroom apartment. It’s the only way to keep expenses down,” stated a 27-year-old laptop science scholar from Atlanta. With tuition and residing prices rising, he added, “I’ve stopped eating out, cancelled subscriptions and cut everything possible. Every dollar counts.”Beyond survival, future prospects are additionally fading. The Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, as soon as a dependable pathway to achieve US job expertise, now presents fewer alternatives. The tightening of norms can also be mirrored in official numbers. Active scholar enrolments from India fell by 28% year-on-year till March 2025, underlining how hostile the atmosphere has develop into.“I came here thinking this was an investment in my future. Instead of focusing on learning, I’m constantly worried about rent and rules. If things don’t improve, going back to India might be my only option,” stated a 25-year-old from Atlanta who lately accomplished a grasp’s in IT however is struggling to seek out work.City-based consultants say they’re conserving potential candidates knowledgeable. “This intake was the worst in decades. Students in the US are already struggling, and those planning to move there are in no better shape. We are making sure they know the ground reality. The next couple of years are going to be tough,” stated Chirandeep Patnaik of Lemma One Consulting.