F-1 Student Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Expanded STEM Degrees

In an effort by the Obama administration to improve United States of America (USA)’s economic, scientific and technological competitiveness, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on May 11, 2012 an improved program to attract international students to study and remain to apply their expertise in USA.   The improved program is the expanded list of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) designated-degree programs that qualify eligible graduates on student visas for the F-1 student visa Option Practical Training (OPT) extension, to include fields of studies such as pharmaceutical sciences, econometrics and quantitative economics.

Under the OPT program, international students who graduate from colleges and universities in the USA are able to remain in the country to receive work experience training in their field of studies for up to 12 months. Students who graduate from a science, technology, engineering, and math designated STEM degree program can remain for an additional 17 months on an OPT STEM extension.

For a full list of expanded STEM degrees, please see http://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/stem-list.pdf .

By Aik Wan Kok Fillali, Attorney at Law, at Tiya; Tel: 703-772-8224 & koka at tiyalaw dot com

www.tiyaimmigration.com ; http://tiyalaw.blogspot.com ; www.immigrationresource.net .

We represent employers, and individuals and their families in green card and all work visa matters in U.S. immigration law. We also have a focus on self-petition green card cases such as extraordinary ability and national interest waiver.

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This article is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be relied on as a legal advice or an attorney-client relationship.

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