After several weeks of negotiations, the reform bill S.744 passed the Senate with 68 votes to 32, which was perceived as a victory for higher education. The bill also includes measures that could provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the US.
According to the bill, foreign students who have obtained a doctoral degree at US universities will be eligible for Green Cards, and those who have obtained a master's degree in STEM fields will be eligible to petition for one. Also, as reported by hothousemedia, under pressure from lobbies of organizations involved in exchange programs, the procedure for obtaining J-1 visas should be simplified.
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