Immigration attorney Emily Neumann explained what F-1 students and OPT employers must know as ICE announced a major crackdown on this program. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced a major crackdown on foreign students working at the Optional Practical Training program, along with their studies, and said they uncovered a major fraud going on with […]
The Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, a crucial post-study work route for thousands of international students in the US, is once again in the crosshairs of America’s immigration debate, after federal authorities alleged widespread fraud and abuse within the system.US immigration authorities claim to have identified more than 10,000 students linked to “highly suspect employers” […]
Can calling the police to report a crime be considered as a law and enforcement record in the US? Immigration attorney Scott Decker highlighted a case in which the US Citizenship and Immigration Services denied an applicant’s STEM OPT extension, citing that the individual had a “law enforcement interaction”. The agency did not say what […]
Britons are increasingly choosing UK staycations as rising costs and travel concerns disrupt overseas holiday plans/Image: Getty Images More people in the UK are choosing to holiday within the country this year, as rising fuel prices and concerns over international travel disrupt plans for trips abroad, according to a report by the Financial Times.The shift […]
A letter from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dated January 9, 2026 shows the administration is formally re‑evaluating the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, a post‑study work benefit used by international students on F‑1 visas, including a large number from India. The review could affect the length of OPT and whether the programme […]
Students on F-1 visas in the US working on OPT or OPT extension claim that the companies for which they have bee working are now backing off from sponsoring for H-1B visas at the last moment. And they are informed about this change only a few days before the H-1B cap registration begins on March […]
MAGA politician and Representative Paul Gosar (Arizona) has written a letter to the White House to curb the OPT (Optional Practical Training) program. He has called the program “badly flawed” and said that it should be eliminated. In his letter, Gosar said that the Trump administration “should not be incentivizing foreign employees over Americans.”Writing to […]
Amid the ongoing H-1B row, Missouri senator Eric Schmitt called the Optional Practical Training program a cheap labor pipeline for big business and urged the administration to either scrap it or to reform it so that it does not continue to deprive American graduates. OPT is a work authorization given to international students who are […]
Supreme court ruled in favor of religion and said Maryland students can’t be forced to read books with gay, transgender characters. The Supreme Court ruled Friday that Maryland parents can pull their children from lessons that cover LGBTQ-themed topics. The Trump administration called it a major win as the administration favored for religious liberty, parental […]
Joseph Edlow, who is President Donald Trump’s nominee for the post of the director at US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in a recent nomination hearing said he wants to end post-graduation optional practical training (OPT) that is available to international students.A one-year OPT is available to international students, which is extended by another two […]
