Inside Higher Ed speaks to UC expert about national delays in work permits
Federal approvals for OPT work in the US after graduation have slowed, causing some international students to lose job opportunities
Inside Higher Ed interviewed Ron Cushing, director of international student services in the University of Cincinnati's international office, about a slowdown in government authorizations for Optional Practical Training, or OPT.
Federal approvals for OPT work in the United States after graduation have slowed, causing some international students to lose job opportunities
The OPT program allows international students to work in America after graduation for as long as a year (three years for STEM graduates). UC had 1,130 students in the OPT program in 2017-18.
Students must apply for the authorization within the last 90 days of their degree program, but approvals can now take up to five months, following an internal rule change by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Cushing said UC sees typical processing times of 100-120 days, which can leave students scrambling for work permits for jobs they have been offered.
Something's got to give there. If you're going to take longer to process them, let us submit earlier so these kids aren't stuck with job offers with no work permits when it comes time to start.
Ron Cushing, Director of International Services
You can read the full article here.
Tags
Related Stories
Cross-cultural exchange connects American and Japanese students
December 3, 2024
For more than 10 years, faculty from different programs at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Chiba University, in Japan, have partnered in initiatives including joint lectures and inter-university team projects through Chiba’s Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). While the nursing-focused partnership started in 2021, COVID-19 restrictions delayed in-person experiences until last spring, when 10 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students, UC’s Department of Nursing Chair and Associate Professor Donna Green, PhD, RN and Assistant Professor Samantha Boch, PhD, RN, traveled to Chiba.
Beyond the classroom: perspectives on long-term study abroad
November 21, 2024
More than 1,300 UC students studied abroad in 2023-24. Most students tend to sway towards the most popular option of faculty-led programs, because of its shorter duration and high level of faculty support. But some UC students strike out on their own, choosing to fly solo for a semester to a year with long-term study abroad programs.
University of Cincinnati celebrates International Education Week
November 18, 2024
International Education Week, November 18-22, showcases study abroad around the globe. The annual event is sponsored in the United States by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. At the University of Cincinnati, a slate of student events will celebrate UC’s 4,616 international students, who make up 8.7% of this fall’s record enrollment.