The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the Donald Trump administration is currently conducting a review of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) scheme of post-graduation work rights for international students. According to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the department “was aware of the significant increase in the number of foreign student visa holders participating in practical training programs and the potential risks and challenges.”
In a letter to Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt, Noem said DHS is reviewing whether the current regulatory framework for OPT.
What is optional practical training?
OPT is a 12-month work permit for F-1 visa students in the US to work in jobs directly related to their major. Eligible students may apply for post-OPT (after graduation) or pre-OPT (while studying) with a 24-month extension for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) majors.
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Pre-OPT applicants are authorized to work 20 hours or less per week when school is in session and full-time when school is not in session.
To post-completion OPT, applicants must work part-time for at least 20 hours per week or full-time.
How to apply for OPT
To register for OPT, F-1 students need a referral and an updated Form I-20 from their college/university and approval from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Applications can be submitted 90 days before graduation to 60 days after graduation.
OPT requirements
Only after the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is approved can OPT applicants begin work.
Only those who are physically present in the U.S. at the time of application may apply for OPT, and the employment must be directly related to the applicant’s major field of study.
Criticism against OPT
While OPT allows international students to gain work experience, it has come under fire, particularly from Republicans and immigration opponents, who argue that it undercuts American workers by flooding the labor market with cheap foreign labor.
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Senator Schmitt is a vocal critic of OPT, which he says acts as a conduit for cheap labor to serve the financial interests of large corporations and academic institutions and discriminate against Americans.
“This system keeps young Americans out of the workforce, discriminates against American workers in favor of foreign workers, and suppresses wages and job opportunities for American graduates. It also distorts our higher education system, incentivizes colleges to become ‘visa mills,’ and poses a serious threat to our national security and prosperity,” he argued.
According to the latest Open Doors report, a total of 294,253 international students registered for OPT in 2024-25, a record number.
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Noem said DHS will reevaluate OPT requirements for international students through new rulemaking.
“The rule would propose to modify existing training regulations to protect U.S. workers from displacement by foreign nationals, address fraud and national security concerns, and strengthen the program’s capacity for students and exchange visitors to oversee the program,” she wrote in the Jan. 9 letter, which was released last week.
Key things
- The OPT program allows international students to work in the US after graduation, but is under scrutiny for possible negative impacts on US workers.
- The Department of Homeland Security aims to amend OPT regulations to address fraud, worker displacement and national security concerns.
- Recent statistics show a record number of international students enrolled in OPT, raising questions about the program’s sustainability and impact on the labor market.
