On 12 November the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) quietly added a notice to its regulatory agenda signalling a forthcoming rule that would “eliminate or restrict” the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme for foreign students. OPT currently lets some 250,000 F-1 graduates work in the U.S. for 12 months—or up to 36 months with a STEM extension—while they line up H-1B sponsorship or decide on next steps.
According to the DHS abstract, the new rule will tighten supervision under the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme, cite national-security risks and seek to “protect U.S. workers from displacement.” Although draft text is not yet public, agency insiders indicate DHS is weighing options that range from abolishing post-completion OPT to limiting eligible majors and capping employment at 12 months total, including STEM. The proposal could appear as early as December, triggering a 60-day comment window.
![DHS floats rule that could scrap or sharply curtail OPT work programme]()
For universities, the threat to OPT strikes at international enrolment: surveys show nearly three-quarters of prospective students see U.S. work rights as essential to the return on a costly degree. Tech and life-science employers that depend on OPT talent for entry-level roles fear an immediate skills gap and even steeper competition for H-1B cap slots.
Corporate mobility teams should track the Federal Register and prepare talking points for public comments. They may also need to accelerate F-1 hiring or file cap-exempt H-1Bs with qualifying research institutions. Universities, meanwhile, are lobbying Congress for an alternative pathway, arguing that cutting OPT could cost billions in tuition and downstream innovation.
While any final rule will face court challenges, the policy signal is clear: post-study work in the U.S. is under the microscope, and companies should plan global talent pipelines accordingly.
According to the DHS abstract, the new rule will tighten supervision under the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme, cite national-security risks and seek to “protect U.S. workers from displacement.” Although draft text is not yet public, agency insiders indicate DHS is weighing options that range from abolishing post-completion OPT to limiting eligible majors and capping employment at 12 months total, including STEM. The proposal could appear as early as December, triggering a 60-day comment window.
For universities, the threat to OPT strikes at international enrolment: surveys show nearly three-quarters of prospective students see U.S. work rights as essential to the return on a costly degree. Tech and life-science employers that depend on OPT talent for entry-level roles fear an immediate skills gap and even steeper competition for H-1B cap slots.
Corporate mobility teams should track the Federal Register and prepare talking points for public comments. They may also need to accelerate F-1 hiring or file cap-exempt H-1Bs with qualifying research institutions. Universities, meanwhile, are lobbying Congress for an alternative pathway, arguing that cutting OPT could cost billions in tuition and downstream innovation.
While any final rule will face court challenges, the policy signal is clear: post-study work in the U.S. is under the microscope, and companies should plan global talent pipelines accordingly.
