OPT on the Chopping Block

Derek Lawson

Alright, so let’s dive right in. What makes this whole OPT controversy such a big deal?

Elena Porter

Oh, let me guess. It’s going to be another classic “let’s make life harder for students” situation, isn’t it?

Derek Lawson

Kind of, yeah. So, here’s the deal. The current proposal, backed by Joseph Edllo—the nominee for USCIS director—basically takes aim at one of the key lifelines for international students: OPT, or Optional Practical Training.

Elena Porter

Okay, I’m already annoyed. Go on.

Derek Lawson

Fair enough. For those listening who might not know, OPT allows international students to work for up to a year after graduating from a U.S. school. And, if you're in a STEM field—science, technology, engineering, or math—you can tack on another two years. It’s not just a work program. It’s, like, the bridge that helps students transition from school to the workforce.

Elena Porter

And now, Edllo wants to set that bridge on fire. Makes total sense, right? Because who needs a smoother path into the workforce when you can just make it way harder?

Derek Lawson

Exactly. And his argument is that OPT supposedly creates, uh, kind of a "backdoor" for students to stay in the U.S. and work improperly. He wants to tighten regulations so that instead of being able to work after graduating, students might only be able to work during school under something called CPT—Curricular Practical Training.

Elena Porter

Wait, doesn’t CPT have a ton of restrictions already?

Derek Lawson

It does. It’s only available in certain programs and only allows you to work in fields directly tied to your curriculum. So, it’s not a real alternative to OPT, especially not for students trying to gain meaningful post-graduation experience.

Elena Porter

Right, and not to mention less flexibility for employers who want to hire fresh talent. So, let me ask this: how widely is OPT actually used?

Derek Lawson

Oh, it's huge. For example, in 2024 alone, about 163,000 students participated in OPT, with 79,000 of those in the STEM OPT extension. And just to give you some perspective, a big chunk of those students end up contributing directly to critical industries like tech, healthcare, and research. Take my hometown, Detroit, for instance. There’s this startup founder I spoke with not too long ago who runs a pretty successful AI company. He told me his first round of hires? Almost entirely international students on OPT.

Elena Porter

Hmm, that tracks. Detroit has been bouncing back big time, and making it harder for employers to find qualified workers feels, I dunno, wildly counterproductive. But that’s just me.

Derek Lawson

Exactly. And especially in competitive fields like STEM, students often rely on that transitional period OPT provides to gain experience while waiting for something like an H-1B visa. Without it, a lot of talented people might never even get their foot in the door. And for the U.S. workforce, that’s just—

Elena Porter

Alright, Derek, so if this whole “let’s cancel OPT” idea actually becomes a reality, what does that mean for students? Is there any kind of backup plan, or are they just... out of luck?

Derek Lawson

Well, not doomed, but it’s definitely not pretty. Without OPT, recent grads would have to hustle hard during their final semester to land an employer willing to sponsor an H-1B visa. And that process? It’s not exactly smooth sailing, especially since the H-1B is subject to a lottery system.

Elena Porter

Right, right. And that lottery, it’s like winning backstage passes to Beyoncé. Not impossible, but good luck.

Derek Lawson

Exactly. Plus, if you graduate after that year’s H-1B lottery window closes, you’re out of luck until next year. So you’re looking at options like re-enrolling in school to maintain your status, or trying for something like an O-1 visa—which, by the way, is not easy to qualify for.

Elena Porter

O-1 visa. That’s the one for people with “extraordinary ability,” right? Like, you’ve got to be a tech wizard or the next Emma Stone.

Derek Lawson

Pretty much. It’s especially tricky for new grads who don’t have extensive work experience or, you know, a wall full of awards. Even for STEM grads, where there’s been some flexibility, it still takes meticulous planning and, frankly, a lot of legal help to pull it off.

Elena Porter

Speaking of meticulous, I actually talked to someone who’s dealing with this right now—a software engineer from India, fresh out of a top U.S. program. He’s already hit the CPT cap and can’t bank on OPT because of all this uncertainty. Wanna know his plan?

Derek Lawson

Lay it on me.

Elena Porter

Okay, so get this. He’s doubling down on networking like it’s his full-time job. Hitting every tech conference, hackathon, even random coffee meetups hoping to lock in a cap-exempt sponsor like a university or nonprofit. He said it’s, like, playing 4D chess while everyone else is just trying to make rent.

Derek Lawson

That’s one way to go, but it highlights how much more difficult this process would become if OPT disappeared. Instead of a straightforward pitch to employers—“Hire me, I’ve got two years to prove I’m worth an H-1B!”—students have to convince employers to gamble on them before graduation.

Elena Porter

And most companies aren’t exactly jumping at the chance to do that paperwork, right?

Derek Lawson

Exactly. Especially startups or smaller companies that might not have the resources for visa sponsorship. So the result? You end up with a talent bottleneck. Fewer opportunities for grads, and fewer highly skilled workers entering the U.S. economy. It’s a lose-lose.

Elena Porter

Yeah, and don’t even get me started on the ripple effect it’d have on the tech industry. The guy I talked to said his entire graduating cohort is already considering jobs in Canada. I mean, Canada! When did we start losing talent to maple syrup and hockey?

Derek Lawson

You’re not wrong. Countries like Canada are stepping up their game with immigration policies that specifically attract international students. If we continue making it harder for talented individuals to stay after graduation, the U.S. risks falling behind. It’s—

Derek Lawson

Exactly, and that brings us to the bigger picture. What does it mean for industries like tech—or even entire universities—if OPT is taken off the table? Let’s dig into that.

Elena Porter

I’ll tell you what happens. Universities lose their biggest recruitment tool, and the tech industry starts freaking out when their talent pool dries up.

Derek Lawson

That’s putting it bluntly, but you’re absolutely right. Let’s start with higher education. International student enrollment has always been a key revenue source for U.S. universities. In fact, many programs, especially in STEM, depend on international students not just financially but academically too.

Elena Porter

Right, because these students bring, like, fresh perspectives and sometimes even boost a school’s rankings, don’t they?

Derek Lawson

Exactly. And, without the promise of OPT, many of these students might choose other countries where they know they'll have a smoother transition from education to employment. Canada and Australia are already capitalizing on this uncertainty, offering clear and attractive pathways for international grads to stay and work.

Elena Porter

It’s like we’re handing them our talent and saying, “Here you go, no charge!”

Derek Lawson

And then there’s the tech industry, a sector that benefits immensely from skilled international workers. Canceling OPT could create labor shortages in critical areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and biomedical research. Now, keep in mind, many of these fields are already experiencing a skills gap. And OPT has been a major pipeline, bridging that gap for years. Removing it would be—

Elena Porter

A disaster?

Derek Lawson

Pretty much. Employers, especially smaller startups, rely on programs like OPT because they offer a low-risk way to bring in fresh, skilled talent. And when you cut that off, companies are left scrambling to compete in a global economy.

Elena Porter

Okay, but what about the argument from critics? You know, the one where they say, “Oh, OPT is just a backdoor for circumventing immigration laws.”

Derek Lawson

It’s an argument, sure, but it ignores the bigger picture. For one, the program actually enhances compliance because students and employers have to follow strict rules. Plus, the alternative—forcing every grad to compete for an H-1B right away—would overwhelm the already chaotic lottery system.

Elena Porter

So, like, critics are basically saying, “Hey, let’s make an already inefficient process even worse.” Got it.

Derek Lawson

That’s one way to look at it. And here’s a real-world example. A major university in California recently did some scenario planning on this issue. They reached out to both alumni and employers to find out how changes to OPT would impact them. What they found was striking. Over 70% of employers said they wouldn’t have the same confidence hiring international grads without OPT. And students? Almost half said they’d reconsider attending the school if the program were canceled.

Elena Porter

Yikes. That’s not just a statistic; that’s a warning shot to the entire education system.

Derek Lawson

Exactly. It’s not just about individual careers. It’s about the U.S. maintaining its position as a global leader in innovation and education. Programs like OPT don’t just benefit students—they contribute to a more dynamic and competitive economy. Removing that would be like shooting ourselves in the foot.

Elena Porter

And limping straight into irrelevance, apparently. So what’s the takeaway here, Derek?

Derek Lawson

The takeaway is that programs like OPT are about more than just immigration policy. They’re about investing in talent, fostering innovation, and ensuring the U.S. remains competitive on a global stage. Losing that would create ripple effects we might not recover from anytime soon.

Elena Porter

And on that mildly terrifying note, that’s a wrap for today. Thanks for breaking this down with me, Derek.

Derek Lawson

Always a pleasure, Elena. And to our listeners, thanks for tuning in. Remember, stay informed, stay curious, and we’ll catch you next time.