The OPT programme permits worldwide college students on F-1 visas to work within the US for as much as 12 months after commencement
Donald Trump’s supporters backing his “Make America Great Again” agenda are focusing on the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, a key pathway for worldwide college students, together with many from India, to safe work expertise and transition to H-1B visas within the US.
The OPT programme permits worldwide college students on F-1 visas to work within the US for as much as 12 months after commencement. Those with STEM levels can lengthen this era by a further 24 months, offering as much as three years of labor expertise. For many Indian college students, who make up the biggest group of worldwide college students within the US, OPT is a stepping stone to acquiring an H-1B visa, which allows expert international nationals to work within the US for as much as six years.
Critics argue that the OPT programme, initially meant for short-term talent growth, is being misused as a long-term immigration pathway. Groups just like the US Tech Workers declare that OPT unfairly competes with American graduates for jobs and operates with out Congressional approval. They additionally accuse universities of selling the programme to draw worldwide college students as a income.
The Washington Alliance of Technology Workers (WashTech) has challenged OPT in court docket, however a current decrease court docket choice upheld its legality. However, calls to finish the programme persist.
If the programme is scrapped, it might considerably impact Indian college students, who closely depend on OPT for profession development and H-1B alternatives. Many view the US as a prime examine vacation spot, however eliminating OPT could cut back its attraction, significantly for these in search of skilled expertise post-graduation.
