Republican Lawmaker Pushing to End Foreign Grad Training Program

A Republican congressman is leading a new effort to end a 20-year-old program that allows foreign graduates to work in STEM fields while on their F-1 student visas.

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) is introducing legislation that would end the optional practical training program, which is frequently used as a pipeline to the popular H-1B specialty occupation visa. Employers often hire workers on OPT so they can be employed while trying their hand at the H-1B lottery, sometimes in multiple years.

Gosar, who’s also writing a letter asking President Donald Trump to end the program by executive order, says OPT is ...