Latest news with #Student
NDTV
18 hours ago
- NDTV
US Cracks Down On Students In Optional Practical Training. Here's Why
A large number of international students in the US, particularly those on Optional Practical Training (OPT), are receiving stern notices from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) warning of possible SEVIS record termination and deportation. The warnings stem from missing or outdated employer information in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which tracks students' employment status. OPT rules allow a maximum of 90 days of unemployment over the standard 12-month period, with an additional 60 days for students in the STEM-OPT extension. The ICE letter gives students just 15 days to update their SEVIS records. If employment details remain missing, students could face removal proceedings. A letter reviewed by TOI reads: "Because there is no employer information in your SEVIS record, you are accumulating unemployment days... failure to take corrective action may result in immigration proceedings." The Indian student community is particularly affected. Of the 2.7 lakh Indian students in the US in 2022-23, nearly 69,000 were in OPT programmes. Immigration lawyers are urging students to report job changes, losses, and new employment within 10 days.
News18
21 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Challenges Mount For International Students As Trump's USCIS Nominee Eyes OPT Ban
Last Updated: President Trump's USCIS nominee, Joseph Edlow, plans to eliminate the OPT programme, worrying international students. Amid ongoing uncertainties surrounding their academic future, international students in the United States face a fresh challenge, with President Donald Trump's nominee for the top role at US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Joseph Edlow, indicating that he intends to eliminate the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme if selected for the job. Edlow made the statement during a recent confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, reigniting concerns among international students already navigating a complex immigration landscape, as reported by Financial Express. In recent weeks, reportedly, many students currently on OPT have received alarming letters from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), threatening termination of their SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) records and possible deportation. One such letter, accessed by The Times of India, warned students about the absence of employer details in their SEVIS records, noting that this could count as unemployment — a violation of OPT rules. The letter gave recipients 15 days to update their records or face immigration proceedings. What Is OPT And Why Does It Matter? The Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme is a key pathway for international students in the U.S. to gain hands-on work experience after completing their degrees. Under this programme, eligible students are allowed to work for up to 12 months in their field of study. Those with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) can apply for a 24-month extension, known as STEM OPT. Students must report employment information in the SEVIS system to remain compliant. As per current regulations, OPT participants are allowed a maximum of 90 days of unemployment within the standard 12-month period. For those on STEM OPT, an additional 60 days is permitted. A move to end OPT will deeply impact the Indian students in the US, who form one of the largest international student populations in the country. According to the Open Doors 2024 report, there were 331,602 Indian students in the US during the 2023–2024 academic year. Of these, 97,556 were participating in the OPT programme — a staggering 41% increase from the previous year. If the OPT programme is indeed dismantled, it could severely limit post-study work opportunities for Indian students and disrupt the educational and career plans of thousands. The proposed changes could also make the US a less attractive destination for higher education. First Published: May 28, 2025, 10:52 IST
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
OPT visa rules tightened for international students: Inaccurate employment can now result in deportation
Many international students on OPT in the U.S., including thousands from India, are receiving ICE letters warning of SEVIS record termination and possible deportation due to missing employer information. Students must update SEVIS within 10 days of employment changes. With stricter enforcement now in place, even unreported jobs or DSO errors can trigger immigration consequences. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Thousands of international students in the US on post-graduation Optional Practical Training (OPT) are receiving warning letters from the country's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), threatening termination of their SEVIS records and potential deportation over employment reporting issues, according to a report by TOI's Lubna core of the issue lies in the reporting of employment status within the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). OPT regulations grant students a maximum of 90 days of unemployment during their twelve-month program. Another 60 days are available to those undertaking the STEM-OPT program for an additional two years.'The recent ICE letters indicate that an international student's SEVIS record will be terminated if there is no employer information listed on the SEVIS portal. This signifies that the student did not report the OPT job on time or went over the allowed unemployment period, either of which can result in a termination of OPT status and initiation of removal proceedings,' Snehal Batra, managing attorney at NPZ Law Group told TOI.'This is a pretty big change for F-1 students. In the past, SEVIS did not usually terminate SEVIS records automatically for exceeding 90 days of unemployment. But now, with tighter rules, students could accidentally fall out of status for failure to report,' she per immigration attorneys, OPT reporting rules require SEVIS to be updated within ten days of any change, be it a new job, new work site location, or loss of employment.A copy of such a letter, seen by TOI states, 'Because there is no employer information in your SEVIS record, you are accumulating unemployment days and may have exceeded the permissible period of unemployment. If you have been employed during your OPT time, you must correct your SEVIS record. Please contact your Designated School Official (DSO) or utilize the SEVIS Portal to update your information. Failure to take corrective action may result in the initiation of immigration proceedings to remove you from the United States."This letter imposes a strict 15-day deadline on international students to update their SEVIS records from the date of issuance. Failure to comply will lead to the termination of their SEVIS status, potentially resulting in consequences like students represent a large portion of the international student population in the US. According to the Open Doors Report for the 2022–23 academic year, there were 2,70,000 Indian students in the country, including 69,000 enrolled in OPT programs. As a result, many Indian students have been affected by these to 'NAFSA: Association of International Educators', the wordings of the letter are identical to those issued in 2020 under the Trump-Pence administration. However, according to education and immigration experts, this time there appears to be an uptick in the number of letters that are being issued.'Traditionally, it's been the school's DSO that tracks SEVIS compliance, but since ICE administers the SEVP, they have been going in and terminating people who have accumulated more than 90 days of unemployment during their OPT,' Jath Shao, founder of an immigration law firm told TOI.'It is crucial to have employment, paid or unpaid, that is related to the major you graduated from. You must also promptly report your employment or unemployment to your school's DSO. We have seen some cases where DSOs failed to timely update graduates' employment status in SEVIS, but USCIS has reinstated the students' status upon correction of the record,' pointed out gravity of the situation has prompted NAFSA: Association of International Educators, to issue a special advisory. It recommends that DSOs should diligently monitor the 'Accrued unemployment days' alerts. This alert highlights students who have accrued unemployment days and shows their employment status as of the date the list was generated. Designated School Officials (DSOs) are encouraged to proactively reach out to students with a high number of unemployment days and remind them to update their employment details via the SEVIS Portal or directly through their DSO.(With TOI inputs)
West Australian
a day ago
- Business
- West Australian
Newington College student loses bid to challenge the elite school's move to co-education
A current student of a prestigious Sydney school has lost his bid to challenge the school's controversial move to co-education. Newington College in Sydney's inner-west announced in 2023 the school would accept both boys and girls over a staged move from 2026 onwards. The school, which boasts yearly tuition fees of up to more than $45,000, will accept girls to Kindergarten and Year 5 from next year, while the senior campus will accept girls in Year 7 and Year 11 from 2028. The decision immediately sparked controversy among the school's community, prompting a current student to take the matter to Sydney's Supreme Court. The student, who can only be known as Student A, filed a lawsuit in December 2024. The case hinged on the terminology in the school's 1873 Deed of Indenture, with the statement of claim arguing the words 'an efficient course of education for youth' is 'limited to the advancement of education of boys and young men'. Justice Guy Parker handed down his final judgement on Tuesday afternoon, finding that the terminology was used 'in a gender neutral sense'. '(I have) concluded that the word youth … was used in a gender neutral sense and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the College,' Justice Parker told the court. Tuition for the elite school spans up to $45,369 for those in Year 11 and 12, with the fees for those in Year 5 and 6 reaching $35,487.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Student loses bid to sue elite school
A current student of a prestigious Sydney school has lost his bid to challenge the school's controversial move to co-education. Newington College in Sydney's inner-west announced in 2023 the school would accept both boys and girls over a staged move from 2026 onwards. The school, which boasts yearly tuition fees of up to more than $45,000, will accept girls to Kindergarten and Year 5 from next year, while the senior campus will accept girls in Year 7 and Year 11 from 2028. The decision immediately sparked controversy among the school's community, prompting a current student to take the matter to Sydney's Supreme Court. The student, who can only be known as Student A, filed a lawsuit in December 2024. The case hinged on the terminology in the school's 1873 Deed of Indenture, with the statement of claim arguing the words 'an efficient course of education for youth' is 'limited to the advancement of education of boys and young men'. Newington College will gradually transition to coeducation from 2026 onwards. NewsWire / Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia Justice Guy Parker handed down his final judgement on Tuesday afternoon, finding that the terminology was used 'in a gender neutral sense'. '(I have) concluded that the word youth … was used in a gender neutral sense and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the College,' Justice Parker told the court. Tuition for the elite school spans up to $45,369 for those in Year 11 and 12, with the fees for those in Year 5 and 6 reaching $35,487.
