This article ignores the fact that student visas are a ridiculously expensive way to recruit foreign talent.

A PhD student costs $20-50k/year ($20k stipend, training costs which vary by field, even private universities are heavily subsidized by the govt), so figure costs of $100-250k/student. If 50% of student visas become citizens, that's a cost of $200k-500k per new skilled citizen.

Visas for skilled workers are a much more cost effective way of recruiting high skill talent. Auctioning off citizenship/visas would also be more effective.

Student visas are nothing but a subsidy to the college industry.