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发帖数: 3938 | 1 Following up on your petition on the OPT STEM regulation:
A few months back, we sent an initial response to a petition you signed on
the STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) regulation. At the time, the rule
in question was still in its proposal phase, to be commented on by the
public and reviewed. But now, there's more to say.
Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published the final
rule in the Federal Register to enhance the OPT program for international
students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
The enhancements to the OPT program will be effective on May 10, 2016. Here
’s a quick look at what the final rule says:
First off, all international students will remain eligible for an initial 12
months of OPT, regardless of their degree or field. However, under the new
rule, STEM graduates will be able to extend their training period for an
additional 24 months -- up from the existing 17-month extension!
And, if the individual subsequently goes back to school and earns a second,
more advanced STEM degree, he or she will be eligible to engage in a new
period of practical training, including a second (and final) STEM OPT
extension of 24 months.
Additionally, the rule allows students who have recently completed non-STEM
programs to get that 24-month extension if they previously earned a STEM
degree from an accredited U.S. university. For example, an international
student who earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering a few
years ago and is just now completing an MBA program could be eligible for
the full 36-month period of post-graduation on-the-job training, if such
training is related to the STEM degree. Finally, the rule also bolsters
protections for students and U.S. workers by creating safeguards to prevent
student exploitation, among other reforms.
These improvements and many others are focused on strengthening the
educational experiences of international students studying in STEM fields in
the United States by requiring stronger ties between their educational
degrees and their practical training opportunities. You can read more
details on the White House fact sheet, the DHS fact sheet, or the full rule
text.
The public spoke and DHS listened. The rule was open for public comment from
October 19, 2015 to November 19, 2015, and DHS received 50,500 comments --
the most comments received in the Department’s history. Many of the
comments were driven directly from the initial response we issued in October
, and DHS considered all comments in preparing its final rule.
In fact, most of the final rule's 300 hundred pages include a detailed
discussion of how DHS responded to the public's comments -- agreeing with
some, disagreeing with others -- which means your comments helped to improve
the final rule in crucial ways.
It also may be helpful for your community to know that starting today, the
Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is launching a STEM OPT Help Hub
on DHS’ Study in the States website to share resources for students,
school officials, and employers. Among other things, these resources will
help students find what they need to apply for STEM OPT extensions and
continue their STEM education here in the United States.
By strengthening the educational experiences of international students
studying in STEM fields at U.S. universities, this rule constitutes an
important step toward improving and modernizing our immigration system. And
it keeps America competitive in the global economy. By helping immigrants
get the best STEM education they can and fostering ongoing relationships
with their universities, we can attract the most talented students,
graduates, and entrepreneurs from around the world. And that’s good for all
of us.
Our universities train some of the world’s most talented students in STEM
fields, but our broken immigration system often compels them to take their
skills back to their home countries. We should welcome students from across
the globe not only to study here, but to stay and contribute to our economy.
That’s why President Obama continues to support Congressional action on
commonsense immigration reform.
You should feel proud that raising your voices helped to shape this rule,
and we hope you’ll continue to participate on this platform.
Thanks again.
-- We the People Team |
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