Work Authorized for Graduating Foreign Students

From Richard Herman of Cleveland:

Hello:

News from U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service, Friday, April 4, 2008

In an obvious slam at Congressional failure  to pass immigration law reform that would have helped  avert the current H1B Visa Crisis, DHS Secretary Chertoff announced a new rule Friday extending work authorization for graduating foreign students attending U.S. universities and colleges.

This work authorization is called OPT (Optional Practical Training) and is normally good for 12 months immediately following college graduation.  Under the new rule, OPT will be good for up to 29 months for qualified F-1 non-immigrant students. The extension will be available to F-1 students with a degere in science, technology, engineering or mathematics who are employed by businesses enrolled in the E-verify program.

www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=25123

www.workforce.com/section/00/article/25/46/35.html

This OPT extension is an administrative rule that did not require an act of Congress.    It is a stop-gap measure, and only highlights Congressional impotence on leveraging high-skill immigration for America’s economic security.
Congress can not continue to hamper U.S. technology innovation and competititiveness by imposing non-sensical laws that turn away the world’s best and brightest.

bh