Covering the business of education and training

The Department of State announced that the permitted length of stay for visiting scholars to the US will be lengthened from its current three years to a new maximum stay of five years.

The draft says-

"...as of November 4, 2006, current and future professor and researcher program participants will be eligible for five years of program participation as provided for in the final rule."

This is good news for a lot of excellent scholars from places like Japan, China and India.

I have had students and friends who have come here as visiting scholars and stay for three years. About the time their work was going to take off...it was time to go home.

I am sure that some programs can be completed in one, two or three years. Now, it can be said, if the scholar can't find what s/he is looking for in five years, well it's time to go home.

Still, good news for our foreign guests.

What do you think?