Hyderabad: A proposed bill for temporary work permits for students under the OPT program is attracting the attention of Indian students. OPT or optional Practical Training (OPT) program allows international students with an F-1 visa to stay in the United States for one year after graduation.
Although students with regular disciplines receive a one-year work permit, students who graduated from science, technology, engineering or mathematics (also known as STEM courses) can reuse a work permit and can provide an additional two years of work permit, giving the country a total of three years of work in the country.
“Many students use extra time and they not only add their extra skills but also find jobs that can lead to H-1B work visas,” said M. Dinesh, consulting manager in Hyderabad.
If the bill passes in Congress and becomes law, the OPT can end suddenly, which may cause students to have to leave the United States immediately after completing the course.
The 2024 report from the Institute of International Education (IIE) pointed out that 3,31,602 Indian students in the United States had 3,31,602 Indian students in the batch process in 2023-2024, an increase of 23.4% over the 2022-2023 batches, which had 2,68,923 Indian students enrolled in the country.
The Open Door report also states that Indian students account for nearly 30% of international students in the country, 25% from China, 4% from South Korea and 4% from Canada.
Many students who are receiving higher education in the United States are now feeling turbulent about whether they should visit India in the summer. Some reports say universities such as Columbia, Yale and Cornell have informally advised international students not to leave the United States for the time being.
Maud. “I’m going to go home during the summer vacation. But after hearing the news that might be deleted, I’m not sure. What if I don’t allow me to return to the country? I’m confused right now.”
Not only Indian students in the United States, but even those planning to receive higher education in the United States have different opinions. “I’m not sure I’m sending my daughter to the United States. Politics and law are changing rapidly, and almost all laws are against the international people going there,” said Pranitha Reddy, a student who plans to join the U.S. Level II University.
“My daughter is in her final year of engineering and she is eager to join a great university in the United States to help her grow in the field. However, the country no longer accepts talent.”
Several U.S. experts commented that if a bill was proposed to Congress, it might not pass the bill. According to a report by the International Association of Educators NAFSA, international students currently generate $43.8 billion in revenue to the U.S. and provide more than 300,000 jobs to the U.S. economy in the 2023-2024 school year alone.
Experts say that by passing a bill that removes OPT, it will cut a lot of revenue in states across the country, Congress will never approve such a bill.
