US stay for foreign tech grads |
The US government will publish the rule soon, saying that international students earning degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields in the US will now be eligible to stay for three years of on-the-job training. This is seven months longer than under the 2008 rule it replaces for the STEM Optional Practical Training programme, known as OPT.The new rule will take effect on May 10.Beyond offering graduates more experience in their fields, the extension serves another purpose. If one`s work visa gets denied this year, one still has two more opportunities to apply, and can keep working within the country. One may apply in April for a visa, known as an H-1B, for skilled foreign workers. But Congress caps those yearly at 65,000, with an additional 20,000 slots for graduates with advanced degrees. The government received nearly four times as many applications for those visas as were accepted in last year`s lottery.This rule is yet another flash point in the controversy over immigration reform. Industry leaders who say they are desperate for skilled talent and those defending the rights of American workers see the lumbia. The government posted a similar version of the rule in the federal register in October, drawing more than 50,500 comments.
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