US lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill to protect a key work programme for international students, aiming to retain foreign graduates, including thousands from India, amid rising global competition for skilled talent.  Representatives Sam Liccardo, Jay Obernolte and Indian American Raja Krishnamoorthi unveiled the Keep Innovators in America Act to codify the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme into law, providing long-term certainty for students, universities and employers. Codifying the Optional Practical Training programme provides needed clarity and accountability for a programme that allows students to gain practical experience in their field of study. Support for the bill spans a wide coalition of industry groups, universities and immigration advocates.

 

The legislation seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to formally allow international students to undertake practical training and employment authorisation tied to their field of study, including after completing degree requirements. For more than three decades, administrations from both parties have maintained OPT through rulemaking. Lawmakers said codifying it would prevent abrupt policy shifts and ensure continuity.

 

The move comes after the Trump administration signalled in November that it could eliminate the OPT programme, raising concerns that US-trained talent could shift to competing economies. For India, the issue is particularly significant. Indian students are among the largest cohorts of international students in the United States, and many rely on OPT as a bridge between education and employment.