US Senator Demands End to OPT Amid Jobs and Espionage Concerns
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A senior United States senator has urged the government to halt work authorisations for international students, intensifying debates over the country’s higher education and immigration policies.
Chuck Grassley, Iowa senator and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote to Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem on 23 September, claiming that foreign student work programmes harm American workers and pose national security risks.
“In addition to harming American job seekers, foreign student work authorisations also put our nation at risk of technological and corporate espionage,” Grassley said in his letter. He argued that student visas should be used solely for education, not employment.
Although he did not directly mention Optional Practical Training (OPT), the statement is widely seen as a call to dismantle the scheme. OPT allows international graduates to work in the US for up to three years, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Grassley cited unemployment among young Americans, referencing Federal Reserve data showing that 22–27-year-old degree-holders face similar joblessness to those without degrees. However, his claims contradict research from NAFSA, which found that international students created 378,175 US jobs and contributed $43.8 billion to the economy in 2023/24.
At the same time, a Georgetown University report has warned of widening labour shortages, predicting the US will need an additional 5.25 million workers with postsecondary education by 2032. Skills gaps are expected in critical sectors including teaching, nursing, engineering and management, prompting experts to recommend expanding visa routes for skilled migrants.
OPT remains a major draw for international students, with nearly 250,000 participants last year – accounting for 22% of the overall student population. A NAFSA survey revealed that more than half of postgraduate students would not have enrolled in US institutions had OPT been unavailable.
Nevertheless, the Trump administration has signalled its intent to curtail post-study work opportunities. Joseph Edlow, the newly appointed director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, previously vowed to abolish OPT. The administration also recently raised the H-1B skilled worker visa fee to $100,000, a move that stunned both businesses and prospective employees.
With the debate intensifying, international students in the United States face growing uncertainty over their future opportunities.
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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