Over the past several months, international students in F-1 status have experienced heightened scrutiny. Increasing numbers of reports indicate that students are facing visa revocations and the termination of their records in...more
On July 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added the category of Environmental/Natural Resource Economics (03.0204) as a qualifying field of study to the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. DHS did...more
A lawsuit filed on August 10, 2023 against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security alleges that the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. § 702, by exceeding its authority and determining that a...more
On July 12, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) updated the STEM Designated Degree Program List by adding eight new qualifying fields of study. The Program List is generally used to determine whether a degree...more
On July 12, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added eight new qualifying fields of study to the STEM Designated Degree Program List. F-1 nonimmigrant students who complete certain programs of study in the...more
On July 12, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added eight fields of study to the Designated Degree Program List qualifying F-1 students to secure a STEM OPT (science, technology, engineering, mathematics...more
The Department of Homeland Security recently added 22 new qualifying fields of study to its STEM Designated Degree Program List, which will greatly expand opportunities for international students to remain in the U.S. – and...more
On January 21, 2022, the Biden Administration announced that it would take actions to attract STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) talent to the U.S. in furtherance of its efforts to remove barriers to legal...more
F-1 nonimmigrant students who have U.S. degrees in certain programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) are eligible to apply for a twenty-four-month extension of Optional Practical...more
Last week, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced changes that will be good news for foreign students seeking Optional Practical Training in areas related to their major areas of study. First, the 14...more
The Optional Practical Training Program for F-1 students (OPT) is not illegal, a federal judge has ruled in a case brought by Washington Alliance of Technology Workers (Washtech), a union representing workers in science,...more
On November 30, 2020, a federal district judge in the matter of Washington Alliance of Technology Workers v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, et al., No. 16-1170, issued an order to uphold the Obama-era program...more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the arrest of 15 individuals who claimed to work on Optional Practical Training (OPT) for nonexistent companies. In addition, USCIS notified 700 OPT recipients suspected...more
The coronavirus pandemic has caused unprecedented disruptions and damage across the world, and its grave impact has been felt acutely by international students in the United States. For the 2018-19 academic year, the U.S. saw...more
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has instituted a new compliance activity which could surprise the unprepared employer who has hired a recent graduate on Optional Practical Training (OPT). The site visits are...more
Continuing the Administration’s high scrutiny of businesses using foreign workers, including highly skilled visas, the Department of Homeland Security has announced that it will be conducting inspections of employers...more
The plaintiffs may continue their challenge to the DHS’ authority to establish both STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) and standard post-completion OPT, the District Court in Washington Alliance of Technology Workers v....more
A new policy memo governing accrual of unlawful status is poised to impact students staying in the United States with significant immigration consequences if they fail to comply with new, punitive rules. On May 10, 2018,...more
Earlier this month, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made two changes affecting foreign students – (1) calculating unlawful presence for students in the U.S. and (2) third-party placements for STEM...more
The extension of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program for international students with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) allows eligible students to apply to extend their...more
International students studying in the U.S. (typically in F-1 nonimmigrant status) must comply with many federal regulations while studying and working in the U.S. Much of their information is coordinated through their...more
A motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s new rule governing the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Optional Practical Training (OPT) program has been granted in part...more
On March 11, 2016, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule pertaining to optional practical training (OPT) for certain students with degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics...more
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has created a STEM Designated Degree Program list, which includes the fields of study that the Department of Homeland Security considers to be science, technology, engineering...more
As of May 2016, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has expanded the time period during which a foreign student with a degree from a U.S. university in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field may...more