With many foreign students graduating from U.S. universities, should they automatically be given preference in the H1B Visa lottery as they were educated in the U.S.?
I see both sides. On one hand, U.S.-educated students do have an advantage—they’re already integrated into American systems. On the other hand, giving them preference could be unfair to equally talented people abroad who didn’t have the financial means to study in the U.S. Maybe the compromise is to have a separate quota for U.S.-educated graduates, rather than giving them automatic preference in the main lottery. That way, their investment in U.S. education is rewarded, but it doesn’t completely exclude other global applicants.
Yes, absolutely. It’s absurd that the U.S. invests so much in educating international students—often charging them higher tuition—only to kick them out after graduation because of visa uncertainty. These students already understand American culture, speak fluent English, and have degrees from U.S. institutions. Giving them preference makes sense because they’re low-risk, high-value immigrants. They can immediately contribute to the workforce without lengthy adjustment periods. Other countries like Canada actively retain their international graduates by giving them permanent residency. The U.S. should follow suit.
Yes, but not just preference—they should get a direct pathway to work visas. The U.S. benefits when it retains the brightest graduates from its own universities. Sending them back only helps competitor nations. This isn’t about charity—it’s about return on investment. If America educates the best and brightest, it should also keep them to fuel innovation. Otherwise, it’s basically training talent for other countries’ benefit.
I don’t think automatic preference is the right answer. The H1B is about filling skill shortages, not rewarding where someone studied. While U.S. education is a strong credential, it doesn’t guarantee that the graduate has the rare or specialized skills the program was intended for. Yes, maybe they deserve some consideration, but preference should be based on skills in demand, not just a degree from a U.S. school. Otherwise, it risks drifting further from the program’s intent.