Saying that the United States is increasingly perceived as an unwelcoming place, a National Academies committee issued a report yesterday (May 10) calling for the creation of a new category of visas to make it easier for international graduate students and postdocs to study in the United States.

"Even with the improvements in the visa process, there still remains a lingering sense among many potential international students and postdocs that the US is a less welcoming place than other places they might go," said committee chair Phillip A. Griffiths of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ.

Data on foreign students' intents and aspirations—and on postdocs, in particular—was not always easy to find, said Griffiths, but the panel determined that trends indicate that foreign nationals may be thinking twice about coming to the United States and going elsewhere to pursue science and engineering degrees, research, and careers, while American students increasingly eschew degrees and careers in those fields.

"Other nations are increasingly seeking and competing successfully for the best talent," said National Academy of Science President Bruce Alberts, in explaining why the panel was asked to take a closer look at academic, immigration, and workforce issues in science and engineering.

"In the long term, this is clearly a threat to the US science and technology leadership," added Alberts.

Fifty-nine percent of postdocs in the United States are foreign-born; it is unclear whether that pipeline may soon experience a clog. Applications and admissions for international graduate students have been declining, experiencing a particularly steep drop in the 2003–2004 academic year.

Engineering applications, for instance, dropped 36% and admissions 24%. Enrollment only dipped 8%, and applications rebounded some for 2004–2005 year, with a 7% decline. The panel said declines were primarily due to difficulties acquiring visas.

Science and engineering students and postdocs usually enter on an F or J visa, which requires a statement of intent to return to the home country (known as the 214b provision). If the proposed area of study or research is on the government's "technology alert list," an interview is required. There were huge delays in the few years after September 11, 2001, but the backlog has been reduced so that most visa decisions are made within 45 days, said committee member Alice Gast, vice president for research and associate provost at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

But the panel said science and engineering students, who often seek to stay and work in the United States, should be exempt from the 214b requirement. The only way to erase that provision is through a new visa category, said Gast.

The Washington, DC–based National Postdoctoral Association supports that idea, Executive Director Alyson Reed told The Scientist. The Association of American Universities, however, was not as enthusiastic. "We're not recommending the creation of such a visa category at this time," said Matt Owens, senior federal relations officer.

Both groups were happy, however, with the bulk of the reports' recommendations, which also included that universities do more to recruit and maintain US and foreign students.