 "How US plan to scrap work option for students has put 3 lakh Indians in a limbo")
In Trump’s presidency, the American Dream, it seems, is becoming more difficult to attain for people from across the globe, namely Indians. The US is proposing a new bill, which looks at eliminating an important work programme that allows foreign students to stay in the US and pursue their dreams.
If this bill goes through, it will affect students from across the globe, but particularly hit India, as over three lakh desis have availed of this scheme to live and work in the US.
What’s this bill? What programme is it going to affect? How will Indians be impacted? We get you these answers and more.
US bill to curb OPT programme
On March 25, Representative Paul Gosar from Arizona introduced the “Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act”, which looks to eliminate the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which currently allows international students, particularly those in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (Stem) fields, to work in the United States for up to three years after graduation.
The bill reflects the “Buy American, Hire American” agenda championed by US President Trump during his first term.
The bill argues that employers have been favouring foreign graduates over locals as the OPT programme structure saves costs for them. It is estimated that US employers save about eight per cent for OPT hires as they are not required to pay Federal Insurance Contributions Act or medicare taxes under the scheme.
As per the bill tabled, a non-US national would be allowed to participate in the programme for four months with no extensions available. It also bars certain individuals from participating in the programme, specifically an individual — with a degree or working in a sensitive field, or who is employed by or otherwise affiliated with an entity owned or controlled by the Communist Party of China.
Significance of the OPT programme
But what exactly is OPT and why is it important to foreign students? Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows international graduates to gain valuable hands-on experience and begin contributing their education and training to the US immediately. As Jim Hicks, division chief for external operations with the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme that collects information on international students in the US, told US News, “OPT is an opportunity to apply knowledge gained from a programme of study in a practical environment.”
Currently, there are two types of OPT for students on an F-1 visa: pre-completion and post-completion. Pre-completion OPT allows international students to hold a job during their studies, permitting them to work part-time while classes are in session and full-time during breaks. However, experts say post-completion OPT, which allows students to work part-time or full-time after graduation, is the much more popular option.
OPT allows for students in any field to live in the US for up to 12 months, while those with a Stem degree can get an additional two-year “Stem extension,” for a total of 36 months of work authorisation and training.
Over the years, OPT has gained popularity among international students. In 2007, OPT saw 24,838 participants while Stem OPT saw just two students. However, in 2023, this number rose to 1,60,627 and 62,036 respectively.
Stating the importance of OPT, FWD.us, a bipartisan political organisation, wrote in one report, “OPT is an important but imperfect bridge, allowing graduates an opportunity to develop their skills and build relationships with potential employers while determining their future immigration options.”
Impact on Indian students
If the US does pass the bill that is looking to scrap OPT, it will have an adverse effect on Indian students.
But why?
According to the Open Doors 2024 report, there were over 3,31,000 Indian students in the US during the 2023-2024 academic year, with nearly 97,556 participating in OPT— a 41 per cent increase from the previous year.
As expert Poorvi Chothani of LawQuest told Logical Indian if the bill passes, Indian students may be forced to leave the US abruptly without transitioning to another work visa, impacting their ability to repay student loans.
There’s also a concern that it will lead to a scramble for H-1B -eligible jobs, though success is far from guaranteed. As experts noted “the development has panicked existing F-1 and M-1 student visa holders who are frantically applying for jobs that can transition them to an H-1B work visa, primarily sponsored by large US and Indian technology companies.”
In fact, Indian students are already fearing the worst with Adarsh Khandelwal, cofounder, Collegify, a study abroad platform, telling the Economic Times that they are “now clouded in doubt”.
A tough time for Indian students in US
The introduction of the bill seeking to cancel OPT comes against a backdrop of intensifying anti-immigrant measures, including mass deportations and tightened visa scrutiny.
Indian students are already under severe scrutiny with minor offences also leading to their deportation. A report in the Times of India said that dozens of Indian students in the US received emails from their designated school officials (DSOs) in the past few days, informing them that their F-1 student visas were no longer valid and that they had to leave the country immediately.
It was later found that many of them were being forced to leave over misdemeanour crimes or traffic infractions. In fact, Chand Paravathneni, an immigration lawyer from Texas, said, “Revoking SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) for offences like drinking and driving, shifting lanes or over-speeding is extremely rare.”
With inputs from agencies
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