A new bill before the United States Congress has shaken the international student community—particularly Indian students—with its attempts to abolish the Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa program. With the passage of the bill, more than 300,000 Indian students could be compelled to leave the country upon completion of their studies.
The OPT program already lets foreign students remain and work in the US for three years post-graduation, gaining vital professional experience and access to long-term employment. The bill, however, seeks to end these work benefits on the grounds of displacing American jobs.
Indian students, the second-largest group of international students in the US, are especially at risk. Numerous students depend on the OPT as a stepping stone to H-1B sponsorships. Universities, technology companies, and advocacy groups have come out strongly against the bill, threatening that it will harm the US’s reputation as an international education destination.
If implemented, the policy change would prompt an acute decline in Indian student enrollment and divert talent towards more open-door nations such as Canada and Australia. The legislation has not been passed, yet its potential ramifications are already spreading panic throughout student and academic groups.
