The United States cannot afford to lose Optional Practical Training—a key incentive for attracting international students to this country, because of the immense contributions they make before and after they graduate. Our nation needs to attract the world’s brightest students to help ensure that innovation and groundbreaking research happen here. The U.S. economy benefits from the contributions of international students and the jobs they create for American workers. 

Why is NAFSA concerned about OPT?

  • The current administration is considering measures to restrict or end the F-1 Optional Practical Training program, or OPT.  
  • There was a proposal to end OPT during the previousTrump administration. The administration ended before the policy could move forward.

Experiential learning is a necessity for students—international and domestic

  • Eliminating or curtailing OPT would degrade America’s ability to compete for global talent, risk harming our national and economic security, and deprive U.S. students and institutions of the diverse and enriching contributions international students bring to our campuses.
  • Experiential learning, or on-the-job-training, is a key component of higher education today. Internships, externships, the first years following graduation—this is the time when education and employment come together to prepare for long-term career success.  
  • While U.S. students are not limited in those opportunities, international students must get permission from both their college or university and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to engage in experiential learning.  
  • International students increasingly view this type of educational work-based experience as critical to their degree program, and it has become an important factor in deciding where to pursue study outside their home country. A March 2025 survey conducted by IDP Education, an online resource for international students researching study destinations, showed that 66% of prospective students rated ‘career development’ as the most influential factor in the decision-making process.  
  • Many foreign students studying in critical STEM fields pursue OPT opportunities in medical and scientific research, sustaining the United States as a global leader in these areas. 

OPT benefits Americans

  • OPT benefits U.S. employers and other Americans. According to an analysis by Niskanen Center in 2023, “Foreign Students in STEM Don’t Hurt American Workers,” experiential learning opportunities like OPT lead to increased innovation and higher average earnings, without costing U.S. workers their jobs or decreasing U.S. worker wages.
  • A 2019 study by the National Foundation for American Policy focused on STEM found no evidence that OPT participation reduces job opportunities for U.S. workers.  
  • The Economic Impact of Curbing the Optional Practical Training Program (2018) report by Business Roundtable illustrated significant negative effects on the U.S. economy if OPT were scaled back or curtailed, including job losses impacting U.S. workers.
  • According to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, international students and their families contributed nearly $43.8 billion dollars and more than 387,175 jobs to the U.S. economy during the 2023-20124 academic year.  

The United States can lead in the competition for global talent

  • America has the opportunity at this moment to benefit from the short-sighted policies of competitor nations by recognizing the value of experiential learning on-the-job opportunities for new international student graduates.  
  • Losing out on talented international student will weaken the United States while benefiting other countries economy, innovation, and global competitiveness.