End OPT, other foreign student work programmes, US lawmakers tell govt

US lawmakers seek to end OPT, STEM-OPT and CPT, raising concerns for Indian students as work pathways linked to F-1 visas face review

At a time when there is growing opposition to the H-1B visa programme targeting Indians in the United States, Congressman Riley M Moore on Monday wrote to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, urging an end to Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM-OPT, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), and other F-1 student-related work programmes. This follows a similar request from Senator Eric Schmitt seeking a re-evaluation of the programmes.

 

How the OPT programme works

 

Under OPT, international students studying on an F-1 visa can remain in the United States and work for up to 12 months after completing their studies.

   

Graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can apply for an additional 24-month extension.

 

The programme has expanded in recent years, with nearly 295,000 international students participating in OPT in the 2024–25 academic year.

 

Calls to end student work programmes

 

Joining the chorus of those against the programmes, Moore called on the Department of Homeland Security to take decisive action to restore integrity to the student visa system and prioritise job opportunities for American workers by ending the OPT and STEM-OPT programmes.

 

“Our immigration system should exist for one reason: to benefit the American people. Big corporations pushed for the OPT, STEM-OPT, and CPT programs to import foreign workers and undercut American graduates. These programs were never authorised by Congress. That means DHS has both the authority and the responsibility to end these abuses, restore integrity to the student visa system, and put American workers first,” Moore wrote.

 

Concerns over expansion and oversight

 

In the letter, Moore detailed the rapid expansion of these programmes, which now allow hundreds of thousands of foreign students to work in the United States outside statutory visa caps established by Congress. These programmes, created through regulatory action rather than legislation, have evolved into de facto guest-worker pipelines that disadvantage American graduates entering an already challenging job market.

 

Moore also raised concerns about reported abuses of the CPT programme, including so-called “Day 1 CPT” arrangements in which foreign students work full-time while completing minimal academic requirements. These practices, he notes, undermine the intent of the F-1 student visa programme and create unfair competition for US workers.

 

The letter urged the Department of Homeland Security to eliminate the OPT and STEM-OPT programmes, pause new work authorisations under these pathways, and conduct a comprehensive rulemaking review. It also calls for increased oversight of institutions with unusually high CPT participation rates to ensure compliance with academic standards.

 

Government review and political backing

 

In January, the US government said it had begun reviewing the OPT programme, citing concerns about its impact on American workers, potential fraud and national security.

 

“We are aware of the increase in the number of foreign student visa holders engaged in practical training programmes and the potential risks and challenges,” then Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a letter to Schmitt dated January 9, 2026, adding that the government is committed to protecting the interests of American workers.

 

Senator Jim Banks also urged the Trump administration to terminate the programme.

 

“The programme is not authorised by Congress. It was established and has been maintained entirely by Deep State bureaucrats,” he said in a letter to Donald Trump.