Republicans Push to End F-1 Work Authorizations, Threatening OPT

(UNITED STATES) Republican leaders are pressing the Department of Homeland Security to end work authorizations for international students, a move that would gut OPT and reshape the education‑to‑employment pipeline amid a broader H‑1B overhaul. Senator Chuck Grassley has urged DHS to stop issuing work permission to any F‑1 student, citing job competition and security risks. As of September 27, 2025, no rule has changed, but the threat is live and campuses, employers, and students are scrambling.

Under current rules, OPT remains available. Most graduates can work up to 12 months after finishing their degree, and STEM graduates can seek a 24‑month extension, for a total of up to 36 months. No DHS regulation or act of Congress has revoked these rights. But interviews with university advisers and immigration lawyers show rising caution, tougher audits, and more site visits, especially for STEM OPT employers tied to smaller firms or third‑party worksites.

Grassley’s letter calls for ending every category of F‑1 student work authorization: OPT, the STEM OPT extension, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) tied to internships, and on‑campus jobs. Supporters argue that foreign graduates undercut entry‑level wages and raise screening concerns. If DHS follows this request, hundreds of thousands of students would lose access to paid experience that often leads to H‑1B sponsorship or permanent roles, altering hiring plans across tech, research, health care, and finance.

Policy moves and stakes

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, OPT has quietly become the largest legal channel for U.S.‑trained talent to get real‑world experience after graduation, outpacing entries through capped work visas during recent H‑1B overhaul debates. In the 2023–24 cycle, more than 240,000 new graduates used OPT.

University leaders warn that removing this bridge would make American degrees less appealing and may push students toward friendlier systems in Canada 🇨🇦, Europe, and Australia.

Key impacts highlighted:

• The sharpest impact would fall on Indian nationals, the largest group of F‑1 holders and OPT users. Many families plan budgets around the chance a graduate can earn U.S. wages for a year or more and then try for an H‑1B or a longer role. Without OPT, that expected return shrinks.
• For STEM students who counted on 36 months to build a track record with an employer, the door could close before the first promotion.
• Universities warn about the financial shock: international enrollments help fund research labs, teaching positions, and community programs. If fewer students enroll because OPT disappears, departments could face hiring freezes and program cuts.
• Graduate programs in engineering and computer science — where the pipeline to H‑1B has been strongest — may feel the impact first.
• Regional employers relying on co‑ops and CPT pipelines would lose a key source of early‑career staff.

Supporters of the clampdown say the change protects recent U.S. graduates and deters misuse. They point to cases where staffing firms placed students at third‑party sites without close training links, or where unpaid roles blurred lines between study and work. They also note uneven school oversight and harder vetting in large applicant pools. Those arguments are likely to appear in any DHS notice if the department moves to restrict work permissions.

Pushback, legal context, and enforcement trends

Libertarian thinkers and many tech leaders counter that cutting OPT is more radical than tightening H‑1B. They argue it would sever the main bridge between U.S. education and early‑career work, shrinking the talent pool just as advanced industries need more engineers, analysts, and clinicians.

Several university coalitions say the United States 🇺🇸 would lose ground to peers that offer clear post‑study routes, with Canada’s two‑ to three‑year work permits often cited by advisers.

Legal and enforcement context:

• Courts have allowed DHS to run OPT under the F‑1 student rules, and the Supreme Court declined in 2023 to revisit that framework.
• Future rulemaking could narrow the program, change employer duties, or add new checks.
• Recent years have brought stepped‑up monitoring: digital tools to track employment, more employer audits, and site visits that focus on STEM roles at small consultancies and third‑party placements.

Policy timing matters for people on the ground. Students finishing in December may be preparing Form I-765 to request post‑completion OPT. Processing times vary, and early filing reduces job start date stress for many. USCIS continues to accept applications through Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. That filing is still the key step to work after graduation.

Any DHS move to end authorizations would likely involve notice, rulemaking, and effective dates. But a sudden policy memo could still freeze filings or spook employers, especially those planning to sponsor next spring.

The politics remain sharp. Republican leaders frame the change as protecting American workers and national security. University groups, business associations, and many state officials warn it would weaken local economies and drive students elsewhere. President Biden has defended legal pathways for high‑skilled workers in past remarks, while President Trump pushed tighter screening and backers now promote a harder line. Either way, DHS holds the next move, and all sides are lobbying.

What applicants and schools should do now

International offices are urging students to keep files clean and timelines tight while OPT still stands. Practical steps include:

• Confirm passport validity and check I‑94 records.
• Keep addresses current.
• Save pay records and training plans.
• Use simple job titles and clear supervision structures to help during audits.
• Employers should assign a point person for immigration paperwork and confirm that job duties align with the graduate’s field of study.

Students planning to apply soon should watch for changes to filing windows and processing tools. If USCIS posts a policy update or a court order pauses parts of OPT, timing will matter. For now, cases continue to move, and many schools report normal adjudications.

Advisers warn to avoid risky arrangements:

• Unpaid “volunteer” roles with no training plan.
• Placements that look unrelated to the student’s major.
• Third‑party staffing placements with weak supervision links.

None of this changes the basic fact: OPT is still available today, and any rollback would need action by DHS or Congress. Students who already hold approved cards can keep working within their dates, and those in the STEM extension can continue if they meet training, wage, and reporting rules.

Open questions:

• Will the program be narrowed, paused, or ended outright?
• How much notice will schools and employers receive?

For families abroad weighing offers from U.S. universities, the decision now carries more risk. An American degree still signals quality, but if paid experience after graduation disappears, the financial calculus changes. In India, where financing often depends on expected U.S. earnings, parents are asking harder questions about timelines, backup plans, and return options. Counselors say clear answers from schools about internships and alumni outcomes will matter this cycle.

What to watch next

• DHS’s response to Senator Grassley’s request — this will set the near‑term course.
• Congressional pushback or court challenges — likely if critics see executive overreach.
• Student mobility — if applications to U.S. programs drop and deposits shift overseas, policymakers will feel pressure.

University presidents are lining up briefings, and employers are preparing contingency plans for spring hiring.

Practical takeaway: apply on time, document employment clearly, follow reporting rules, and avoid risky setups. Keep close contact with your Designated School Official and watch official updates. The H‑1B overhaul debate is bleeding into student policy, and the next few months will shape how F‑1 student pathways look for years.