Indians May Abandon U.S. Study Plans if OPT and H-1B End, 78% Say So

(UNITED STATES) A new pulse check from Business Standard has put hard numbers on a question Indian families have debated for years: would they still study in the U.S. if the path to work after graduation disappears? In a poll of nearly 1,200 Indian students, 78% said they would abandon plans to study in the U.S. if both OPT and H-1B were phased out. Only 22% said they would still go.

The figures are stark across platforms: X (Twitter) 11.8% vs. 88.2%, LinkedIn 19.3% vs. 80.7%, Telegram 38% vs. 62%, YouTube 16.4% vs. 83.6%, Instagram 22% vs. 78%. For many families, the cost of U.S. study is too high without a reliable way to gain U.S. work experience and income after graduation.

Policy noise and timing

As of late August 2025, policy talk around OPT and H-1B is louder and more uncertain than at any recent point. Critics and policymakers like Jessica Vaughan at the Center for Immigration Studies and Joseph Edlow (named in policy discussions as a potential future USCIS chief) have pushed restricting or ending OPT.

At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security is considering moving from the long-standing “duration of status” model for F visas to fixed-term visas. That could force students into mid-course renewals and tighter post-graduation timelines. None of these proposals are settled, but the uncertainty alone is reshaping student choices.

“The concern is real. For many Indian students, the value of a U.S. degree is tied not only to education but also to post study work opportunities through OPT and H-1B. If these pathways shrink, the return on investment looks weaker.” — Ritesh Jain, co-founder of LaunchEd

Why OPT and H-1B matter to families

• OPT acts as the immediate job window after graduation. In 2024, nearly 200,000 graduates used OPT, and about 95,000 used the STEM extension that can extend post-completion OPT to three years.
• Employers often prefer hires on OPT because paperwork and wait times are lighter than hiring directly on H-1B.
• H-1B serves as the medium-term bridge after OPT. Without it, the route from an initial job to longer-term employment or residency narrows.

Families budgeting for a two-year master’s degree often depend on OPT to help a graduate secure an initial U.S. job and then a later H-1B. Remove OPT, and many employers would bypass international graduates who cannot start quickly or remain long enough to justify training.

Political debate and economic stakes

The H-1B program faces sharper political attacks in some quarters. Critics call it a “scam” that undercuts wages or favors staffing-heavy models. Figures like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and policy movers in the 2025 debate have questioned relying on H-1B for high-skilled roles.

Supporters in tech, research, and advanced manufacturing counter that H-1B keeps labs and startups staffed amid talent shortages. The divide is deep, and students reading the headlines see risk, not clarity.

Financial burden on Indian families

According to the Indian Student Mobility Report 2023–2024 (University Living):

• Annual spending by Indian students in the U.S. is roughly:
  • $7.2 billion on tuition
  • $2.9 billion on housing
  • $2.4 billion on living costs

Typical per-student costs:

• Tuition: $30,000–$60,000 per year
• Housing: $1,100–$4,300 per month
• Other living expenses: $900–$1,200 per month

When graduates can work on OPT, even for a year, the financial calculus can make sense. Remove that first job window and families ask: “Why take this risk now?”

Voices from students and counselors

Students and counselors echo the poll’s concerns:

• “Without OPT/H-1B, the ROI of a U.S. degree becomes hard to justify if you’re not that rich… High cost, no industry exposure does not make sense.”
• “Who wants to go to a country that is so openly hostile to all immigrants now?”

VisaVerge.com and counselors across India report:

• More students building backup destination lists
• A drop in single-destination (U.S.-only) plans
• More deposit rejections and deferrals

How OPT works (mechanics and implications)

• F-1 graduates apply for work authorization by filing Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) with USCIS.
• Approved applicants receive temporary permission to work in jobs tied to their field of study.
• STEM graduates can extend OPT if their employer uses E-Verify and the role meets training and supervision rules.

If DHS switches to fixed-term F visas, key timing steps—from filing Form I-765 to the start date on employment authorization—could be squeezed, creating gaps that jeopardize hires and job starts.

Employer practices and ripple effects

• Employers hire graduates on OPT because employers can onboard quickly and evaluate performance before sponsoring H-1B via Form I-129.
• The H-1B cap and lottery make longer-term planning tricky, but many firms design hiring cycles around OPT and the H-1B timeline.
• Remove OPT: higher upfront cost and risk for employers.
• Remove H-1B: no clear path beyond the first years except for niche transfers or categories.

Consequences include:

• Firms shifting to domestic-only hiring
• Moving hiring to offshore teams
• Reduced campus recruiting and training investment in the U.S.

University operations and advising

International student offices coordinate:

• Workshops on Form I-765
• Employer town halls on STEM extension rules
• Timelines to avoid gaps between study end and work start
• Coordination with local employers that prefer recruits who can start on OPT

A move to fixed-term visas could break these calendars. Missed renewals or renewals delayed could turn solid job offers into lost opportunities.

Global competitors and student preferences

Counselors report more interest in countries with predictable post-study work rules:

• Germany: defined post-study permits tied to job searches and routes to residency
• U.K.: restored two-year post-study work route (though debates continue)
• Canada: popular for study-to-permanent-residency bridges
• Australia: direct post-study tracks in key fields

The common thread is predictability: students want assurance that academic success can be followed by a reasonable work period.

Legal and economic arguments

• Critics say OPT rests on weak legal ground or gives employers an advantage.
• Supporters say OPT is a training period tied to education, not a backdoor work visa.
• Courts have so far allowed OPT to persist, and the program has grown.
• But policy proposals and rhetoric from figures like Vaughan and Edlow keep uncertainty alive—and that perceived risk changes behavior now.

Practical recommendations for students

Counselors suggest three practical steps:

1. Pick programs that build transferable global skills.
2. Spread risk: apply to more than one country and don’t rely solely on OPT/H-1B.
3. Follow official channels closely and keep paperwork clean:
   • If OPT is available, apply early and keep evidence ready.
   • If H-1B is an option, know your employer’s Form I-129 timeline ahead of cap season.

Key official processes and resources

• USCIS provides official guidance on OPT, eligibility, and the STEM extension. See the USCIS OPT resource: USCIS OPT: F-1 Students
• Work authorization filing: Form I-765 — USCIS Form I-765
• Employer H-1B petition: Form I-129 — USCIS Form I-129

These forms and pages are the legal backbone of post-study work pathways. Any changes to OPT or H-1B would appear through them or the rules that govern them.

Economic and cultural stakes

• The poll is not an immediate prediction of mass enrollment collapse, but it is a bright red flag about intent. If 78% of prospective Indian students would skip the U.S. without OPT/H-1B, the talent pipeline narrows fast.
• Consequences stretch beyond campuses: lost fee revenue, fewer renters and shoppers in college towns, and talent pipelines redirected to countries with clearer rules.
• For many Indian families, the long-standing narrative—study in the U.S., work, and build a path to residency—has motivated years of saving and borrowing. That narrative now looks less certain for a large share.

What policymakers could do

Clear, stable rules would restore confidence. Students and employers can accept strict requirements if timelines and processes are predictable. If DHS moves to fixed-term visas, it should publish:

• Clear grace periods
• Renewal windows
• OPT filing cushions

If changes to H-1B are proposed, lawmakers should give employers meaningful notice to plan hiring and training budgets. Absent predictable rules, survey numbers suggest a continued tilt away from the U.S.

Admissions outlook and next cycle

VisaVerge.com analysis says the next admissions cycle will be a test:

• If intake from India dips sharply, universities will need to:
  • Offer more scholarships to protect yield
  • Forge deeper employer partnerships linked to campus hiring
  • Create joint degrees that allow time in jurisdictions with steadier work rights
• If intake holds, it will likely be concentrated in well-funded, high-demand programs where employer interest remains intense

Policy clarity on OPT and H-1B will shape choices more than marketing campaigns.

Final takeaway

A large share of Indian students say they will not study in the U.S. without OPT and H-1B. The poll’s 78% “No” is consistent across platforms and strong enough to influence advising, loan approvals, and family plans this fall.

Until the U.S. offers clear, stable rules again, many prospective students will keep options open—and many will start elsewhere.

Links to official resources:
– USCIS guidance on Optional Practical Training is available here: USCIS OPT: F-1 Students
– Students apply for work permission with Form I-765: USCIS Form I-765
– Employers file H-1B petitions on Form I-129: USCIS Form I-129