The 17 month OPT extension for the overseas STEM students would expire on 12th February 2016 until the Homeland Security Department asks the federal court for its extension.
The program permits the international students to work in the US for small period of time after completing their graduation for gaining the experience before coming back to their home country but the supposed extension was put on hold by the federal court prior this year.
Previous month, the NumbersUSA, urged its activists for posting the public comments in the opposition to the extension that was proposed.
The OPT program permits the overseas students with the F-1 visa the chance to work in the US after they complete their graduation to achieve practical training. Originally the program only permitted the students to do the job for a year.
The latest rule that was presented for the comments from the public extended the OPT program to 35 months and had got more than 43,000 comments all needing a reply from the DHS before the conclusion regulation could be published. The ultimate rule should be published in the Federal Register for two months prior going into effect.
Based on the 12th February deadline by court, the DHS should have published the latest regulation by 12th December but had failed to do that. The DHS can ask the court for the extension to the deadline of February month.
The extension permitted many firms to avoid the limits on the foreign workers visas like H-1B visa and replace the US employees with cheaper overseas student employees. The OPT graduates are exempted from the payroll taxes and there is no wage needs or visa limits on the program.
