The nominee to head the US government agency for immigration has said he wants to “remove the ability for employment authorisations for F-1 students beyond the time that they are in school,” in effect ending post-graduation OPT.
Joseph Edlow, who is President Trump’s nominee for director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, made the comments before a Senate Judiciary Committee on May 21.
“I think the way in which OPT has been handled over the past four years, with the help of certain decisions coming out of the D.C. Circuit Court, have been a real problem in terms of misapplication of the law,” he said.
The declaration has alarmed sector leaders who have warned against the detrimental impact of such a move for students and communities alike.
“Threatening to end OPT, a program that provides a proven pathway for international students to gain work experience in the United States, will have long-term consequences for the United States,” said NAFSA CEO Fanta Aw.
“For decades, practical training opportunities have helped attract international students that have advanced America’s global leadership, innovation, and economic vitality,” added Aw.
Edlow’s comments come amid heightened scrutiny on the program after the administration threatened to deport OPT students who fail to report their employment information in line with federal regulations.
We turn global talent away at our own expense
Fanta Aw, NAFSA
According to IIE Open Doors data, in 2023/24 there were over 240,000 international students engaged in post-completion OPT or STEM OPT, which allow participants to remain on a student visa and undertake work opportunities for one and three years respectively.
The program is a major recruiting tool for students wanting to gain a degree and practical, hands-on experience in the US, with students increasingly citing career-readiness as a top priority when choosing a study destination.
Edlow’s comments suggest that students would be enabled to access employment opportunities while enrolled in university, liking causing numbers to plummet and significantly reducing the number of international students who stay to gain a work visa in the US.
“We turn global talent away at our own expense,” said Aw, highlighting the “dire consequences” for the country’s economic strength, security, and global competitiveness, as well as the harm to domestic students.
“These outcomes run counter to the administration’s stated goal of making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” Aw added.
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