The Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) has confirmed it’s re-reviewing America’s post-study work stream for worldwide college students, citing considerations over US employee displacement, fraud, nationwide safety and federal oversight of this system.
“DHS is reevaluating whether or not the present regulatory framework… appropriately serves US labour market, tax, and nationwide safety pursuits and stays aligned with congressional intent,” secretary of homeland safety Kristi Noem wrote in an inside letter.
“We’re conscious of the numerous improve within the variety of overseas pupil visa holders engaged in sensible coaching packages and the potential dangers and challenges,” she stated, including DHS was dedicated to defending the pursuits of US staff.
The letter is dated January 9, 2026, and is addressed to Republican senator Schmitt of Missouri who launched the correspondence final week.
Senator Schmitt requested the re-evaluation of OPT and STEM OPT in November final yr, arguing this system functioned as a “low-cost labour pipeline for large enterprise – and a backdoor into the US job marketplace for overseas staff”.
“This technique packing containers younger People out of the workforce, discriminates in opposition to American staff in favour of overseas labour, and suppresses job alternatives for US graduates.”
Schmitt added this system incentivises schools to grow to be “visa mills” and distorts the US schooling system. He famous that OPT exists by regulation moderately than statute, affirming the DHS’s authority to probably alter this system with out new laws.
DHS is dedicated to making sure that immigration packages function within the pursuits of American staff
Kristi Noem, DHS
Secretary Noem’s letter referenced a Spring 2025 rulemaking entry to handle fraud and nationwide safety considerations, defend US employee displacement and improve SEVP program oversight, signalling the potential tightening of OPT and STEM OPT supervision.
Stakeholders have been suggested to observe for rule making within the federal register’s spring unified agenda entry, with any proposed rule to be open for public commentary after publication.
Because it stands, OPT permits worldwide college students to remain and work within the US for 12 months post-graduation, with STEM graduates allowed an extra 24-month extension.
However for a pandemic period dip, the variety of OPT individuals within the US has been on an upwards trajectory because the program’s inception, with whole ranges nearing 295,000 in 2024/25 after a number of years of steep development.
Whole variety of worldwide college students by examine stage within the US:
As OPT individuals stay on F-1 pupil visas, this system’s rise has been the first driver of rising worldwide pupil totals lately, with OPT participation surging by 21% in 2024/25 whereas undergraduate enrolments rose by 4% and graduate ranges noticed a 3% decline.
After a 47% year-on-year development fee in 2024/25, Indian college students now make up almost 50% of whole OPT individuals, adopted by Chinese language college students – comprising simply over one fifth.
The chance to work within the US post-graduation is regularly cited by worldwide college students as being very important to the return on funding of a extremely costly US schooling – a subject mentioned by leaders on the latest AIEA convention.
“It’s a danger to return and examine in the costliest place on this planet in the event you aren’t going to get the job you thought you would possibly get… OPT cuts the monetary danger of a US diploma by 75%,” ICEF chief income officer Ian Cann informed delegates.
“With OPT, a US diploma turns into rather a lot higher by way of ROI. For an Indian grasp’s pupil, OPT reduces the payback interval from 15.2 years right down to 4 years,” he stated.
As such, a latest survey of greater than 1,000 present worldwide college students discovered greater than 50% wouldn’t have enrolled in a US establishment if it weren’t for OPT.
What’s extra, advocates of this system emphasise its position driving US innovation and the complementary job creation in STEM fields, pointing to estimates from the Institute for Progress that its elimination might trigger annual losses of $220bn-$440bn throughout the subsequent 10 years.
The workstream has come underneath repeated political scrutiny underneath the Trump administration, although commentators say this system occupies sophisticated political terrain as coalitions don’t map neatly onto conventional left-right divides.
The newest overview is prone to reignite sector fears of this system’s potential elimination, which might thrust present individuals into uncertainty and trigger potential college students to reevaluate the worth proposition of learning within the US.
