June 08, 2022
US Lawmakers Get Appeals for Increased Exchange Funding
A At NAFSA 2022 held in Denver, experts and educators have called for US Lawmakers to increase exchange funding. Sources say that visa delays have already caused problems to outbound students and as well as exchange students to the USA.
Although steps are being put in place to help the international education sector in the US recover, delegates at NAFSA had called for more funding to ease woes and pressure, post pandemic.
Ilir Zherka, the Executive Director of the Alliance for International Exchange noted that for inbound J1 visas, there is “lots of frustration”, and more needs to be done. “Visa delays are among the most disruptive problems sponsors are facing right now, many US embassy locations are experiencing an especially high demand for exchange visas like in pre-pandemic years,” he was quoted as saying.
…at a time when exchange programs are in the process of rebuilding, the increase in the budget for the US Department of State’s Bureau of ECA is especially important…
Experts have demanded an increase in visa interview waivers. They also made a demand for electronic transmission and signature on DS-2019 forms, which they claim is likely to reduce burden on sponsors.
A source from the Alliance said, ““At a time when exchange programs are in the process of rebuilding, the increase in the budget for the US Department of State’s Bureau of ECA is especially important.”
The Alliance claims that a $1.1bn proposal would support over 430 Education USA Advising Centers. For 2023, the State Department’s request for an ECA is there $ 741.3 million, at the request level for fiscal year 2022. Zherka warned that a drop in funding of $ 11.7 million could have a detrimental effect on the Fulbright and Gilman programs. Speaking to the media, an Alliance member has said that the group expects more funding so as to allow them to start online programs, reach a wider audience and combat the growing threats to democracy around the world.
Posted in News and tagged News, USA, ECA, Alliance, Visa Funding
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