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OPT, which was never authorized by Congress, circumvents the H-1B visa cap by allowing over 100,000 foreigners admitted to America on student visas to work in the United States for an additional three years after completing their academic studies.
The new rule regarding work permits could potentially dissatisfy international students pursuing studies in the US and seeking employment post-graduation.
According to the lawmakers, the OPT program severely undercuts American workers, particularly higher-skilled workers and recent college graduates.
International students looking to study in the United States and work after graduation may be disappointed if the new law about work permits goes into effect.
US lawmakers have introduced a bill in Congress titled ‘Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act of 2025’ to end the Optional Practical Training Program.
The Optional Practical Training Program is a popular work option available to students on an F-1 visa that provides student visa holders with temporary employment authorization before or after completion of the student’s studies, or both.
The ‘Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act of 2025’ bill aims to eliminate the Optional Practical Training Program or any successor program, unless Congress expressly authorizes such a program.
If passed by Congress, this legislation would terminate the Optional Practical Training Program administered by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service.
“If the bill to end OPT goes through, it could seriously change the game for international students heading to the U.S.
Right now, OPT gives students the chance to work in the U.S. after finishing their degrees, which helps them gain experience and pay off student loans.
Without it, studying in the U.S. might not seem worth the high cost for many students, especially when countries like Canada or Australia offer better post-study work options.
It could even lead to a drop in international student numbers in the U.S,
The Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act does not prohibit F-1 students from working in the United States while in school.
It simply terminates an unauthorized and unfair program that allows F-1 students to remain in the United States for another three years following the completion of their education.
According to the lawmakers, the OPT program severely undercuts American workers, particularly higher-skilled workers and recent college graduates, by providing firms with a financial incentive to hire low-cost foreign labor under the pretext of student training.
“Ending OPT would significantly lower the prospect of a U.S. education for foreign students, especially those from India, which has one of the biggest student populations in the nation,” says Ritesh Jain, Co-Founder, LaunchED Global
However, this new rule may impact the American job market too.
“The U.S. tech industry heavily depends on qualified foreign graduates, many of whom enter through OPT, in the current era of quickly growing AI and emerging technologies. In the global tech challenge, reducing this talent pool, especially from India, could decrease innovation and lower competitiveness,” adds Jain.
OPT, which was never authorized by Congress, circumvents the H-1B visa cap by allowing over 100,000 foreigners admitted to America on student visas to work in the United States for an additional three years after completing their academic studies.
Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/investing-abroad-us-work-permits-for-students-at-risk-as-new-bill-seeks-to-end-opt-program-3809311/
