300,000 Indian students face uncertainty as US bill targets OPT work visa programme

Dubai: A proposed bill in the United States Congress is threatening to dismantle the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme — a crucial work authorization initiative for international students.

The development has sent shockwaves through the Indian student community in the US, with over 300,000 students potentially at risk, according to coverage by The Economic Times.

The OPT programme allows international students, especially those in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, to gain hands-on work experience in the US for up to three years after graduation. For many, it’s a vital opportunity to build their careers and repay significant student loans.

Indian students are the largest beneficiaries of OPT. The Open Doors 2024 report reveals that 97,556 Indian students participated in the programme during the 2023–2024 academic year — a 41 per cent surge from the previous year.

If passed, the bill would require students to leave the US immediately after finishing their studies, severely disrupting their career plans and financial stability. It could also harm the US job market, particularly in STEM sectors, where international talent helps fill crucial skill gaps.

While earlier efforts to restrict OPT have failed, this bill comes amid a series of anti-immigrant moves, including mass deportations, as Donald Trump seeks to revive and escalate policies from his first term.

The proposed legislation may push Indian students to explore alternative post-study options in more welcoming countries like Canada or across Europe, which offer friendlier work policies for graduates.

In the meantime, current F-1 and M-1 visa holders are scrambling to secure job offers that could lead to H-1B visas — typically sponsored by large US and Indian tech companies. But with a strict annual cap and intense competition, many students are racing against time before changes take effect.

Immigration expert Poorvi Chothani, founder of LawQuest, highlighted the urgency in ET’s report: “OPT allows students to find jobs in the US for one year after they graduate and may be extended for another two years provided you are a STEM graduate and are working with a qualified US employer.” If the bill passes, thousands could lose this pathway and be forced to leave.

The uncertainty has already shifted student behaviour. Many Indian students have cancelled summer travel plans out of fear they may be denied re-entry.

Prestigious institutions like Cornell, Columbia, and Yale have reportedly advised their international students — though unofficially — to avoid leaving the country over the break.