When students finish degrees in the US, they often rely on Optional Practical Training (OPT) to transition from F1 student visas to H1-B work visas and build a career in the US. That safety net is now increasingly under threat.
Senator Tom Cotton’s OPT Fair Tax Act was already spelling trouble. Now, Senator Chuck Grassley and others are urging DHS (Department of Homeland Security) to stop issuing work authorisations to student visa holders — arguing, among other things, that such permissions “compete against Americans” and pose security risks.
advertisement
These, along with changes in H-1B rules and tightening enforcement, which show a growing sentiment in parts of Congress that OPT and related work rules should be narrowed or ended, have created a nerve-wracking climate for students who came to the US to study and hoped to stay and work.
When an Indian student recently posted on Reddit that their F-1 OPT reco
Continue Reading on India Today
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.