Amazon, Google, Tesla among top 25 OPT hirers in US; Indians lead STEM list

OPT approvals rose 21% in 2024 with Amazon topping the list of employers; Indian students led STEM OPT participation as tech giants expanded hiring

More international students in the US were hired through the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme in 2024 than ever before — and Amazon, Google and Microsoft emerged as the top recruiters, according to the latest Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) data released by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

 

Under OPT, foreign students on an F-1 visa are allowed to work in the US in a role related to their field of study, either during their course or after graduation. Those with degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) can also apply for a two-year STEM OPT extension.

 

 

More foreign students worked in 2024

 

According to DHS, 194,554 foreign students received OPT work authorisation in 2024, up from 160,627 in 2023 — a 21.1% increase and the fourth consecutive year of growth. An additional 95,384 students were approved for STEM OPT extensions, reflecting a 54% rise from the previous year. Meanwhile, 130,586 students worked under Curricular Practical Training (CPT), representing a slight decline of 0.4%.

 

The total number of unique foreign students who received practical training approval (after removing duplicates for those who received more than one authorisation) was 381,140.

 

Indians lead in STEM OPT

 

Most students who took part in STEM OPT in 2024 were from India and China. Of the 165,524 students approved:

 

48.0% were from India

20.4% were from China

 

California continued to host the largest share of international students, with 14.6% of all active SEVIS records — 237,763 in total.

 

Top 25 employers for foreign students under OPT in 2024 (pre- and post-completion)

 

Amazon – 5,379

University of California – 2,112

Arizona State University – 1,895

University of Texas – 1,305

Bright Mind Enrichment and Schooling – 1,234

Tesla – 1,170

Goldman Sachs – 1,148

Apple – 1,135

Google – 1,110

Meta – 1,081

Microsoft – 1,066

ByteDance – 1,045

Deloitte – 1,033

Walmart – 951

Intel – 946

State University of New York – 906

Ernst & Young – 889

Johns Hopkins – 827

Harvard – 799

Community Dreams Foundation – 795

University of Michigan – 767

University of Southern California – 717

University of Illinois – 714

McKinsey & Company – 680

JP Morgan Chase – 675

 

Top 25 employers for foreign students under STEM OPT in 2024

 

Amazon – 6,679

Google – 1,778

Microsoft – 1,496

Meta – 1,302

University of California – 1,302

Walmart – 1,140

Intel – 1,023

Apple – 973

Goldman Sachs – 962

Tesla – 901

JP Morgan Chase – 887

Ernst & Young – 854

Deloitte – 833

McKinsey & Company – 810

ByteDance – 642

Tata Consultancy Services – 639

Stanford University – 541

University of Texas – 536

Citigroup – 517

Bloomberg – 456

Qualcomm – 455

Oracle – 445

Boston Consulting Group – 412

NVIDIA – 410

Cummins – 410

 

Top 25 employers for foreign students under CPT in 2024

 

Amazon – 3,205

Tesla – 1,118

Lindsey Wilson College – 1,028

Google – 880

Microsoft – 819

NVIDIA – 743

Meta – 657

Deloitte – 614

Apple – 600

Intel – 512

JP Morgan Chase – 400

Goldman Sachs – 386

Walmart – 344

ByteDance – 337

Adobe Inc – 332

Advanced Micro Devices – 319

Cummins – 308

Ernst & Young – 299

World Bank – 292

CVS – 276

Qualcomm – 270

University of Texas – 267

Morgan Stanley – 267

Tata Consultancy Services – 266

Boston Consulting Group – 181

 

OPT used to access long-term US jobs

 

According to Varun Singh, managing director at XIPHIAS Immigration, the continued surge in OPT and STEM OPT reflects how international students are using the route to access longer-term job opportunities in the US.

 

“The growing demand for skilled talent in sectors like technology, engineering and healthcare has created an environment where Indian students are increasingly seen as a strong workforce,” he told Business Standard.

 

Singh added that the STEM OPT extension gives Indian graduates more time to build networks and secure employment. “Despite the competitive H-1B process and shifting visa rules, the OPT route remains a critical bridge for many students aiming to build careers in the US,” Singh said.