From the 07 April 2008 Edition of ISSS-BU News
US Department of Homeland Security Announces New Rule for Post-Completion Optional Practical Training for F-1 Students
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced late last week of the imminent publication of an interim final regulation that will contain changes for F-1 students engaged in post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT). Among its many provisions is a 17-month extension of post-completion OPT (for a total of 29 months) for students who received degrees in “STEM” fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and who meet certain requirements, and the elimination of the H-1B “cap-gap” by allowing for the extension of both OPT work authorization and valid status for F-1s whose H-1B petitions make it through the random selection process and are approved with October 1 start dates. The regulation will take effect once it is published in the U.S. government’s Federal Register, which is expected to be sometime this week.
Please note that the implementation of the 17-month extension of post-completion OPT as offered by the new regulation will not take place until the Department of Homeland Security has updated its SEVIS software and has provided US schools with instructions on how to process the applications, which we expect to happen relatively quickly. Watch ISSS-BU News for further announcements!
The Office of International Student and Scholar Services has prepared an analysis of all the provisions contained in the new regulation. That document is now available as both a paper handout in the ISSS and on line at the ISSS website. Read it now at:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/emp/newOPT08rule.html
Ellen Badger, Director of the ISSS, will present information on the new regulation as part of the Wednesday April 9th workshop titled “Post Graduation Employment Issues.” See the full workshop announcement below, article #4. We hope to be able to answer many of your questions at that time.