A new bill in the U.S. Congress threatens to abolish the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, sending shockwaves across the international student community especially among Indian STEM graduates. OPT currently allows students to work in the U.S. for up to three years post-graduation, offering vital career-building experience and a pathway to longer-term visas like the H-1B. With 97,556 Indian students using OPT in 2023–24 alone a 41% surge, experts warn that this move could derail career plans and impose massive financial setbacks.

Immigration attorney Poorvi Chothani emphasized the risks of abrupt deportation if the bill passes, leaving students without time to pivot to other visas. Elite universities like Cornell, Columbia, and Yale have unofficially urged students to avoid summer travel amid re-entry fears. The looming policy change casts uncertainty over the dreams of thousands, with students now scrambling for alternative routes or reconsidering U.S. education altogether.