WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) today proposed changes to its regulations that would
strengthen and enhance the process for foreign students with science,
technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degrees from a U.S. college or
university to get practical training experience in the United States. The
enhancement of this regulation was announced as a part of President Obama’s
November Executive Actions.
The optional practical training
program, or OPT, allows nonimmigrant international students and new graduates
to extend their time in the U.S. on their F-1 student visa status to gain
on-the-job-learning for up to a year. The proposed rule would allow certain
F-1 STEM students to extend their OPT period by 24 months with the appropriate
mentoring and training by employers. The proposed rule would also improve
and increase oversight over OPT STEM extensions.
“Our nation will benefit from
keeping international students here, educated in U.S. colleges and universities
here while they receive additional training, rather than sending them out of
the country,” said Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),
Sarah R. Saldaña. “At the same time, U.S. employers will benefit from the
increased ability to rely on the skills acquired by U.S. educated-STEM
students, as well as their knowledge of markets in their home countries.”
By increasing access to OPT for
STEM students, the proposed regulations will help U.S. colleges and
universities remain globally competitive in attracting international students
in STEM fields. It also reforms the program to better ensure that
practical training opportunities are designed to meet student needs, while requiring
greater accountability of employers and students.
The proposed rule aims to ensure
F-1 students gain valuable practical STEM experience through practical training
that supplements knowledge gained in their academic studies. The rule
also seeks to improve and increase the oversight of STEM OPT by requiring the
implementation of formal mentoring and training plans by employers and by
adding wage and other protections for OPT students and U.S. workers. The
proposed rule would only permit STEM OPT extensions to F-1 students with
degrees from accredited schools, and whose employers are enrolled in U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services’ E-verify employment eligibility
verification program. DHS encourages comments on this proposed rule;
public comment will be open through November 18, 2015.
For more information and to
submit formal input on the proposed rule, visit the Federal Register.
