Bill seeks to eradicate the OPT program

A new immigration bill called “The American Tech Workforce Act of 2021” seeks to eliminate the OPT (Optional Practical Training) program and narrow the alternatives available for highly skilled foreign workers to access the H-1B visa program.

This bill was introduced in the US House of Representatives, which must review it before it enters the Senate and officially becomes law. If passed, this bill would substantially change existing processes for international students and highly qualified workers.

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What is the OPT program?

The OPT program allows eligible foreign students to gain work experience in the US after completing their studies.

This immigration benefit has two branches:

1. International students can work for up to 12 months in their fields of study.
2. For foreign nationals who studied something related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields, there is a variation of the program called STEM OPT Extension, which allows them to work in the US for an additional 24 months, that is, three years total.

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Why does the new bill propose to eliminate the OPT program?

According to the new bill, several major companies in sectors such as technology take advantage of the STEM OPT Extension to hire foreign students at a lower cost and to evade taxes.

Adding to that, the bill also states that international students and foreign workers often take opportunities away from American workers.

It is important to clarify that this argument is not yet fully substantiated and, therefore, it is imperative to seek reliable sources to avoid misconceptions about foreign populations.

You may also be interested in: Do Foreign Workers Really “Steal” Jobs from Local Workers?

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The possible repercussions of eliminating the OPT program

It is worth mentioning that the vast majority of companies in STEM fields are relying almost entirely on foreign workforce due to an alarming worker shortage currently plaguing the US.

In fact, in one of our most recent articles we talked about research revealing that there is currently a shortage of 3 million workers who simply aren’t in the country.

Adding to that, another report reveals that approximately 2.1 million foreign workers never came to the US between 2017 and 2020, under the Trump administration. Is this related?

Thus, it is important to ask, is it possible that removing a program like OPT will worsen labor shortages? It is very possible.

Contact Motion Law Immigration, schedule a FREE Consultation and take the advice of our experienced attorneys, who will be happy to guide you through your immigration journey in the US and who, with their vast experience, have surely helped many people in the same situation as you.

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