Sponsor
Valerie Foushee
Representative · D-NC
Representative · D-NC
The bill extends post‑study work authorizations to give international students and U.S. employers more time to develop talent and boost competitiveness, at the cost of potential displacement of some domestic workers, administrative burdens for DHS, and incentives that may favor temporary over permanent immigration pathways.
F-1 students (non‑STEM and STEM/nursing) gain substantially longer post‑completion practical training — non‑STEM up to ~24 months and STEM/nursing up to ~48 months — giving many international students more time to build U.S. work experience and careers.
U.S. employers (especially in tech and healthcare) can attract and retain international talent longer, supporting workforce continuity, innovation, and employer investment in trainees.
Creates an explicit statutory authorization for DHS to set terms and conditions for the extended training, giving employers, schools, and students clearer legal authority and expectations for implementation.
Some U.S. workers (particularly entry‑level and middle‑skill workers) could face reduced job openings or slower wage growth if extended authorizations keep international graduates in positions longer.
Employers may rely on extended OPT instead of sponsoring permanent employment visas, creating incentives for temporary‑worker dependence and distorting long‑term visa and immigration policy outcomes.
Expanding authorized employment periods will require DHS to allocate resources for rulemaking, monitoring, and enforcement, adding administrative complexity and costs borne by taxpayers and federal agencies.
Based on analysis of 1 section of legislative text.
Expands OPT by authorizing up to 24 months for F-1 field-related work and up to 48 months for STEM graduates, and directs DHS to designate nursing as STEM.
Official title: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to codify the Optional Practical Training program.
Introduced May 7, 2026 by Valerie Foushee · Last progress May 7, 2026
Expands and codifies practical training (OPT) for F-1 international students by amending the immigration statute to permit up to 24 months of employment authorization for work related to a student’s field of study and up to 48 months for students in STEM fields. It also directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish terms and conditions for these authorizations and to take steps to designate nursing as a STEM field for the extended authorization.