OPT
Optional Practical Training rules for F-1 graduates — 12-month OPT, 24-month STEM extension, application timelines, employer requirements, unemployment limits, and cap-gap provisions.
Schmitt backs overhaul of OPT, seeks end to post-graduate visas
Sen. Eric Schmitt pressed DHS to reform or end OPT, which permits F‑1 graduates up to 12 months of post‑study work (plus STEM extensions). He called it abused and a…
Missouri Senator Seeks OPT Overhaul, Calls It a Cheap Labor Pipeline
Senator Eric Schmitt urged DHS to end or reform OPT on November 15, 2025, calling it a cheap-labor…
OPT Restrictions: H.R. 2315 Could End the OPT Program
OPT remains available in 2026, but H.R. 2315 could end it while a bipartisan bill seeks to protect…
Future of OPT: International Students and U.S. Universities Must Do
OPT and its STEM-OPT extension face possible elimination or restriction via H.R. 2315 and DHS rulemaking. Ending FICA…
Is SEVP Back to Normal Operations After the Shutdown?
Because SEVP is fee-funded, it stayed operational through the shutdown. Schools and AILA reported uninterrupted SEVIS access, continued…
What International Students Should Do If OPT Is Delayed by a Shutdown
Shutdown-related slowdowns are delaying physical EAD and SSN cards after online OPT approvals, pushing back F‑1 students’ start…
How the 2025 Government Shutdown Impacts F-1 Visa, OPT, and CPT
Fee-funded USCIS, consular operations, and SEVIS will keep processing F-1 visas, OPT, and CPT during the 2025 shutdown,…
From F-1 to H-1B: A Practical Guide for U.S. Employment
New rules add a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions starting September 21, 2025, and shift selection toward…
Banks and Grassley Urge End to OPT Program, Trump Administration
Banks and Grassley pressed the administration to end OPT, which grants F‑1 graduates post‑study work (12 months plus…
F-1 OPT Student Trapped in Fraud: How to Exit Safely
Federal agents are conducting unannounced employer checks to expose fake OPT jobs and sham training plans. USCIS, ICE…