The number of foreign students participating in the US Optional Practical Training (OPT) program is at an all-time high, with Indians leading the list. According to the numbers cited by the Financial Express from a study by Boundless, 194,554 students were issued work permits in 2024 under the OPT, and of them, 165,524 had enrolled in STEM OPT alone.
Among these, 95,384 students were issued new STEM OPT authorizations, registering a steep 54% increase within one year. Almost half of the authorizations were issued to Indian students (48%), followed by Chinese students (20.4%).
International students boost US economy
2024 was the fourth consecutive year for STEM OPT growth, said a report in Financial Express, which is a measure of international students' growing influence in areas of high demand such as artificial intelligence, data science, and engineering.
Overseas enrollment in the US reached 1.58 million in 2024, a 5.3% increase from the previous year. Foreign students also generated $43.8 billion for the US economy and aided 378,175 jobs in the 2023–24 year.
Major tech companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple were among the biggest hirers of OPT and STEM OPT students. For employers, OPT offers an opportunity to assess talent before sponsoring long term visas.
Pushback and uncertain future
Notwithstanding these advances, the OPT program is under increasing attack. Jessica Vaughan, Centre Director of Policy Studies, argued that Congress would need to either limit the visa program or eliminate it, as the Financial Express noted.
Additionally, lawmakers are considering taxing OPT income for international students, which has hitherto been exempt from FICA taxes. Immigration figures already demonstrate the chill being felt new international student enrollments at US schools are forecast to decline by almost 50% this Fall 2025, with a comparable drop off anticipated among Indian students.
