JEDDAH — Many Saudis who pursue higher studies in the US on the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Foreign Scholarship Program prefer to stay back in the country after completing their education either because they have married Americans or because of better job opportunities. The foreign scholarship program was introduced by the Saudi government, spending billions of riyals, to train highly qualified Saudi professionals to meet the needs of both the public and private sectors. But many of the scholarship students wanted to stay abroad for different reasons, said Al-Watan Arabic daily in a report. According to statista.com, Saudi Arabia is the fourth among countries that have sent the largest number of students to the US for higher studies. China holds the first position, accounting for 31 percent of international students in the US, followed by India with 12 percent, South Korea with 8 percent and KSA with 6 percent. The American Immigration Law Foundation said the number of Saudis in the US reached more than 88,000 in 2013, taking the fifth position among immigrants from the Middle Eastern countries. About 94 percent of Arabs in the US are concentrated in California, Michigan, New York, Illinois and Washington states while the remaining 6 percent are distributed in other states, the foundation said. According to a researcher, the social status of immigrants is the main reason that prevents them from returning to their home countries. About 85 percent of migrants have married foreign women, who persuade their husbands to stay in the US. A Saudi businessman said he migrated to the US 40 years ago after marrying an American woman who gave birth to his two children. "We don't have any plan to return to the Kingdom soon." Another businessman, who is also married to an American woman, said he settled in America 27 years ago after going there to study engineering. "I had no plan to migrate to the US but my daughter refused to stay in the Kingdom because of cultural differences." He added: "I know many Saudis who have decided to stay back in the US for similar reasons. Even if an American woman agrees to live in the Kingdom she would soon encounter a cultural shock that would make her feel unstable." He said Saudi men were making big sacrifices for the sake of their American wives and children by staying in the US. "Our stay in the US does not mean we don't love our nation. But when we compare the economic situation and job market conditions, we find the US more attractive."
