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Comment by psim1 | Hacker News Reader

International study carries such risks. Unis should do what is best for their primary student population first.

Majority of the research at universities is powered by graduate students, most of whom are in turn internationals. This makes a lot of sense- which US/Canadian citizens with bachelor degrees in their right mind would do graduate research for less than minimum wage (international grads are paid for max 20 hours of work in the US), when they can make double or more by flipping burgers at McDonald's? So yeah, do your best for "primary" student population, this is pretty much how you give up scientific leadership and technological supremacy (to China).

> Majority of the research at universities is powered by graduate students, most of whom are in turn internationals. [...]

My understanding was the discussion is about undergraduate study ("second-year chemical engineering student").

Immigration procedures are the same for both undergrad and grad international students.

The implications for university research aren't.

The discussion concerns international students, not just undergraduate international students.

You can say that, but the article was about an undergrad, and I'm pretty sure the user you replied to had undergrads in mind when they replied (for whom classes are the focus), not research-focused grad students. And in any case, you can consider that as a possible approach that wouldn't have the downside you suggested.

What's the point of plowing money into maintaining technological supremacy when they can walk into our servers every five years and take everything we invented?

Your generalizations are (AFAIK) largely accurate in the United States, but not in Canada. The immigration policies of the two countries differ substantially.

International students in Canada can get work permits without much difficulty, and have a relatively easy path towards permanent residency & naturalization once they graduate.

The reason so many international students enroll in graduate studies have nothing to do with how much they can get paid flipping burgers, and everything to do with why they are enrolling in a foreign program in the first place. A graduate degree significantly improves their career prospects at home, and opens a lot of immigration doors abroad.

Universities are funded to a large extent by international students. Scaring such students away will create a potentially large funding shortfall.

I think you underestimate how vast the interest is for spots at places like ubc. They don't call it university of billion Chinese for nothing

Large part comes from taxes paid by the native citizens as well. I think priority should be given to the natives.

Depends which one.

Some universities are addicted to foreign student money and could not survive long without it (not even the tuition premium: just having 40% of students from abroad).

Some others are pretty much living off endowments. They could shut down international admissions and give full rides to everyone and still make profits.

They would of their own free will forgo funding opportunities ? Which planet are you from ?

Risk of what? Getting a good education and emigrating to Canada? Allow me a minute to let the panic pass.

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