As discussed elsewhere on this blog, DHS has finalized a new rule governing F-1 status, scheduled to take effect on Sept. 15, 2026. The rule’s core change is to
Continue Reading Day One CPT Under the New F-1 Rule: Workforce Planning Considerations for Employers
ICE leadership emphasized that misuse of the foreign student employment framework is viewed as a compliance and national security concern.
Continue Reading OPT Under Scrutiny: What Increased ICE Enforcement Means for Employers
On July 22, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it will be adding a new field of study to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Designated Degree
Continue Reading DHS Adds New STEM Field to Designated Degree Program List
USCIS has made it easier for certain F-1 students who are seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) OPT extensions to apply
Continue Reading Online USCIS Premium Processing for F-1 Students Seeking OPT
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that F-1 students seeking optional practical training (OPT) can now file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization online if they are filing
Continue Reading USCIS Expands Online Filing to F-1 Students Seeking OPT
On May 7, 2020, four U.S. senators wrote a letter to President Trump, requesting that he suspend “all new guest worker visas” for 60 days, and others for a
Continue Reading Senators Urge President Trump to Restrict Guest Worker Programs
USCIS announced today, April 6, 2018, that the FY 2019 H-1B cap is now closed because it has received a sufficient number of H‐1B petitions to reach the 65,000
Continue Reading FY2019 H-1B Cap Met
This week, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) published its quarterly “SEVIS by the Numbers” report announcing that there are over one million international students in the United States.
Continue Reading July 2016 “SEVIS by the Numbers” Report Indicates Growth in the Number of International Students Studying in the United States
The new STEM OPT program became effective on May 10, 2016, and represents a complete overhaul of how this program has operated since 2008. For the uninitiated, STEM stands for
Continue Reading The New STEM OPT Program: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Today DHS released an advanced copy of its final rule allowing foreign students with degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to extend their Optional Practical Training (OPT) for
Continue Reading DHS Set to Publish Final Rule Allowing Further STEM OPT Extensions for Foreign Students