Nearly 3 lakh Indian students in the United States could be forced to leave the country after graduation if a newly introduced bill in Congress aimed at ending the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program becomes law, the Economic Times reported. The move has sparked widespread concern among students, particularly those in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, who heavily rely on OPT to gain vital work experience and repay student loans.
Currently, OPT allows international students to stay in the US for up to three years post-graduation to work in their field of study. This period is especially crucial for STEM graduates who use it to build careers and establish themselves in the highly competitive US job market. However, the proposed legislation could abruptly end this pathway, leaving thousands with limited options.
The ET reported that with the increased administrative processing, heightened scrutiny and more rigorous background checks, the future for many F-1 visa holders has grown uncertain. Students with expired F-1 visas who wish to travel abroad will be forced to reapply from their home country, further complicating the situation.
The bill, introduced amid growing anti-immigration sentiment, suggests that international students should return home immediately after completing their degrees unless they can secure an H-1B visa, a temporary work visa with strict caps and a lottery-based selection system. The odds of securing an H-1B are slim and failure to do so would mean leaving the US, often without the means to repay education loans or secure employment.
For Indian students, who form the largest group of OPT participants, this has caused considerable anxiety. Many are now exploring alternative destinations like Canada and European nations that offer more secure and predictable post-study work opportunities.
As the bill awaits further legislative action, international students and education advocates are urging US lawmakers to reconsider, citing the long-term benefits that global talent brings to the American economy and innovation ecosystem.