Yesterday I wrote about how Trump's intended confrontation with China might impact higher ed's pipeline of Chinese students. Following up on that blog, I want this morning to note that the conservative Center for Immigration Studies includes on its list of nearly 80 immigration "reforms," the elimination of OPT.
For the uninitiated, OPT means Optional Practical Training. At each level of their American education, F-1 visa holders on our campuses are entitled to one year of legal employment in the US either during or (as is usual) after graduation with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree. Students apply to USCIS for an Employment Authorization (EAD) card, which looks a little like your driver's license. They then can seek a job in a field related to their degree. Usually it's for a year, though STEM students can hold such positions even longer.
According to an immigration lawyer with whom I have a long relationship, the CIS considers OPT just a subterfuge for stealing a job from an American worker. CIS isn't entirely wrong. Many non-immigrant student-visa holders hope to stay in the US long term. And the OPT year often leads to an H-1B non-immigrant worker visa, which in turn often leads to a green card and permanent residency status.
And, since Trump says he's all about creating and preserving American jobs, it just may be that his administration will go after OPT when it gets around to a more extensive revision of US immigration laws, following the current confrontation created by his instantly infamous executive order.
No comments:
Post a Comment