Americans can learn a great deal about the global economy and the U.S. immigration system from successful African students. Africans who strive to achieve their dreams in the United States bring unique perspectives. Albert Owusu-Asare, a former international student, became a successful entrepreneur, and his story provides insights about America, the immigration system and the global economy.
Deciding To Come To America
Albert Owusu-Asare was born in Ghana and decided early on to study in America as an international student. Owusu-Asare became interested in U.S. universities after he noticed that students from his high school had gone to the United States for college. He wanted to be an aerospace engineer, and Ghana did not offer the kind of education he wanted. “I learned about the schools in the U.S., the high caliber, and the offer of financial aid was also a factor,” he said in an interview.
For U.S. universities and the American economy, Africa will be a significant source of international students in the years ahead. The number of students from China applying to American universities has stagnated, and low population growth in many countries limits the potential supply of future international students.
High visa denial rates for African students continue to raise concerns among U.S. lawmakers and universities wishing to attract more students from Africa. In a July 3, 2024, letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, members of Congress wrote, “We believe all qualified applicants, regardless of where they come from, should have an equal opportunity to continue their academic journey in the United States. However, we are concerned that students from developing countries may be at a disadvantage when interviewing with State consular officers.”
The letter from Senators Peter Welch, Alex Padilla, Cory Booker, Ralph Warnock, Mark Kelly, Chris Van Hollen, Elizabeth Warren and Kyrsten Sinema stated that recent changes to the State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual did not alleviate their concerns: “Between 2015 and 2023 . . . data obtained from a Freedom of Information Act request shows that State denied students from African countries at a significantly higher rate than those from other regions of the world.” They cited a recent report. The U.S. for Success Coalition and several of its members, including NAFSA, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and the Council of Graduate Schools, endorsed the letter.
Americans may not realize that international students can be denied visas even if a U.S. university accepts them for admission. “It’s a nerve-wracking process just preparing for your visa interview,” said Owusu-Asare. “That may lead to mistakes. The most stressful part for me was to go to another city to do the interview, and then you have to cross your fingers that you have a successful interview and come back home.”
His advice for students looking to study abroad is to start early. Begin researching all possibilities for universities before your junior year in high school.
Making Connections At University
Who you meet in college could be as important as what you study. Albert Owusu-Asare attended Grinnell College in Iowa, earning an undergraduate degree with a double major in computer science and physics. During the international student orientation program, he met his future cofounder, Ameer Shujjah. “So, a guy from Ghana, a guy from Pakistan, the first day of college we meet each other, had classes together and eventually we started a business together,” said Owusu-Asare.
Difficult To Stay, Despite Optional Practical Training
For most Americans, graduating from college means finding a job. The stakes are higher for international students. As he completed his studies at Grinnell, Owusu-Asare remained in F-1 student status, which permitted him to stay in the United States only so long as he pursued a full course of study. He obtained Optional Practical Training, which lasts only 12 months but can be extended 24 months in a science, technology, engineering or math field.
While working on OPT for his employer, Goldman Sachs, the company entered Owusu-Asare’s name in the annual H-1B lottery. The effort proved unsuccessful. In recent years, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services selected only about one in four applicants or registrants. The annual H-1B limit of 65,000, plus an exemption of 20,000 for graduate degree holders from U.S. universities, is low, equaling only about 0.05% of the U.S. labor force. “Some people get lucky in the lottery, but I was one of the unlucky ones,” he said.
Goldman Sachs wanted to retain Owusu-Asare and gave him the opportunity to work for the company in London. After more than three years at Goldman Sachs, he took an opportunity to become chief technology officer at Esusu, a successful startup company founded by an African international student.
Wemimo Abbey, an international student from Nigeria, cofounded Esusu in 2018. Esusu, with a headquarters in New York, is valued at $1 billion. The company “helps renters build their credit histories and scores for free by reporting on-time rent payments to credit bureaus.” One-quarter of the billion-dollar startup companies in the United States have a founder who first came to America as an international student, according to a National Foundation for American Policy analysis.
Business Opportunities Are Global
Finding niches in the global economy may include finding a job that provides services internationally or even starting a company that serves the international market. Many businesses begin after an entrepreneur sees a problem that the marketplace has failed to solve. That was the case with Albert Owusu-Asare. While working at Esusu, Owusu-Asare discovered that diverse laws and banking rules challenge companies attempting to manage workers in other countries.
In 2021, Owusu-Asare and his former Grinnell classmate Ameer Shujjah founded Cadana, which provides several functions for employers trying to pay employees and contractors working in other nations. “Pay compliantly to millions of local banks, mobile money accounts, and e-wallets in Africa, Latin America and Asia,” is how Cadana describes its payment platform.
To manage the company in the United States, Owusu-Asare, Cadana’s CEO, obtained an O-1 visa for “individuals with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics.” (O-1 visa filings have expanded since the Biden administration issued new guidance in January 2022.) An attorney has applied for a green card for Owusu-Asare through the employment-based immigration system.
The company recently hired U.S. citizens in New York and Maryland and now pays their customers’ workers in more than 30 countries. Cadana navigates for clients the foreign rules and government regulations that can trip businesses and frustrate workers who want to be paid on time. The company’s platform and mission seek to align business needs with the desire of talented people to participate in the global economy. “We’re running the company pretty lean and close to profitability,” said Owusu-Asare. “So, it’s been a successful journey so far.”
America remains a country that offers excellent opportunities. The small number of H-1B temporary visas allowed each year limits those opportunities for international students. Still, Albert Owusu-Asare’s experience shows that finding niches in the global economy can be a path to success.