Impact of DHS OPT Program Changes on Indian Students in USA

The Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme in the United States may be suspended or significantly altered, potentially discouraging American companies from hiring foreign students, as per recent reports. Such changes would be a major setback for Indian students—the largest group of international students in the US—many of whom rely on OPT as a bridge to gaining work experience and eventually transitioning to the H-1B work visa.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed new immigration rules intended to align the OPT programme with national goals, reduce fraud, safeguard US jobs, and increase oversight. This proposed rule could emerge by late 2025 or early 2026.

OPT currently allows international students to work for up to 12 months in their field of study, with an additional 24 months available for those in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. However, American workers have criticized the programme, arguing it gives foreign students an unfair advantage.

In addition, lawmakers have previously called for OPT revisions. The “Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act,” introduced in 2025, seeks to eliminate the programme entirely. Critics argue that OPT was created through regulation, not legislation, making it vulnerable to abuse and lacking proper safeguards for American workers.

Education experts have warned that stricter immigration measures, such as replacing the flexible “duration of status” policy with a fixed admission period, are already making the US less attractive to international students.

For many Indian students, OPT is essential for gaining U.S. work experience after graduation. According to recent data, nearly one-third of over 300,000 Indian students in the US in 2023–24 were enrolled in the OPT programme. Any changes to OPT could significantly affect this group and their career paths.

OPT, H-1B visa, Indian students, US immigration, DHS