WASHINGTON – The government of the United States has expanded the list of those who are eligible to work from the US in work related to studies.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Wednesday it would add eight new fields of study to the STEM OPT (science, technology, engineering, mathematics Optional Practical Training) program.
According to the details, the eight fields of study that have been added to the STEM Designated Degree Program List include Landscape Architecture, Institutional Research, Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Technology/Technician, Composite Materials Technology/Technician, Linguistics and Computer Science, Developmental and Adolescent Psychology, Geospatial Intelligence, and Demography and Population Studies.
The OPT permits students on an F-1 visa to gain practical work experience in their area of study either during or after the completion of their degree. Generally, the program allows students to work for 12 months, but students who have earned a degree in certain STEM fields can apply for a 24-month extension of their OPT, which permits them to work for a total of 36 months.
In January last year, the government expanded eligibility for STEM OPT, adding 22 qualifying fields of study. DHS has since received nominations for an additional 120 fields of study to be added to the list, but it chose to select eight. The complete details regarding the programs added can be read here.
Earlier, the Trump administration threatened to eliminate or add new restrictions to OPT and STEM OPT, placing an action on the DHS regulatory agenda. That move forced students to apply to universities in Canada, especially Indians.
The fresh move comes at a time when the Canadian government announced it would permit up to 10,000 H-1B visa holders to secure open work permits of up to three years to work for employers in Canada.
The fresh decision by the US government to increase the fields of study eligible for STEM OPT is aimed at retaining highly skilled individuals in the United States.
