The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has given international students enrolled in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program in the United States a 15-day notice period to update their job records or face deportation.
Students who had apparently gone over 90 days without reporting a job while on OPT were the target of the May 15 notice. It issues a warning that noncompliance may lead to the cancellation of their SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) status and potential expulsion.
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“If your SEVIS record is not updated within 15 days of the date of this notice, SEVP [Student and Exchange Visitor Program] will set your SEVIS record to ‘terminated’ to reflect the lack of employer information and the potential that you may have violated your status either by failing to timely report OPT employment or by exceeding the permissible period of unemployment while on OPT,” the notice states.
During or after their academic programs, international graduates are permitted to work in fields linked to their education through the OPT program. As of now, students are allowed to be unemployed for up to 90 days throughout a 12-month OPT period. The program, which provides beneficial real-world work experience, is frequently mentioned as a major factor in overseas students’ decision to study in the United States.
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The 90-day jobless limit is not new, but the recent notice’s tone and urgency have alarmed the foreign education community, particularly in light of the general lack of clarity surrounding U.S. student visa regulations.
“To most it’s just a reminder that—more than ever, given a hostile administration—students need to comply with all rules and report OPT employment so they are not considered to have accrued ‘unemployment time’ that could result in a termination of their OPT and status,” said Joann Ng Hartmann, senior impact officer at NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Despite the rule’s widespread awareness, experts believe it is rare for SEVIS records to be deleted for no other reason than a delay in reporting. Inside Higher Ed identified at least 35 incidents, while the exact number of impacted students is still unknown. According to an international student adviser who asked to remain anonymous, 28 students at their university have already received the letter in the last day, and more are probably going to follow.
Asked for comment, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The PIE News, “If a person’s visa is revoked, I urge them to use the CBP Home app to self-deport. If you are in our country illegally, we will arrest you, we will deport you, and you will never return. The safest option is self-deportation.”
Since the U.S. State Department is in charge of visas and the DHS is in charge of SEVIS, it is unclear if a termination of SEVIS immediately leads to a deportation or revocation of a visa.
NAFSA estimates that during the 2023–2024 school year, international students—including those on OPT—contributed close to US$44 billion to the American economy.
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