Improving and Expanding Training Opportunities for F-1 Nonimmigrant Students With STEM Degrees and Cap-Gap Relief for All Eligible F-1 Students

DHS is proposing to amend its F-1 nonimmigrant student visa regulations on optional practical training (OPT) for students with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math from U.S. institutions to allow those who elected to pursue 12 months of OPT to extend the period by 24 months. The current rule only allows extention by 17 months.

Rule Summary: DHS is proposing to amend its F-1 nonimmigrant student visa regulations on optional practical training (OPT) for students with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math from U.S. institutions to allow those who elected to pursue 12 months of OPT to extend the period by 24 months. The current rule only allows extention by 17 months.

RIN: 1653-AA72

Agency: Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Date Proposed by Agency: 10/19/2015
   
Stage: Closed Comment Period

Top Industry: N/A

Restrictions: 124 

Word Count: 30215 

Costs Monetized: Yes 

Benefits Monetized: No

 


TABLE DESCRIPTION FOR POTENTIAL MIDNIGHT REGULATIONS:

  1. Regulation Title: The official title of the rulemaking used by the issuing agency.

  2. RIN: Regulation Identifier Number—a unique tracking number assigned by the Regulatory Information Service Center to each regulation under development or review by an agency.

  3. Stage: Shows where the rulemaking is in the regulatory process. Stages include:
     a. Open comment period: the proposed rule has been published in the Federal Register and the agency is taking public comments.
    b. Closed comment period: the public comment period for a rulemaking is closed.
    c. Pending final review: OIRA is reviewing what the agency intends to publish as the final regulation.

  4. Restrictions: The number of binding constraints or “restrictions” in the proposed regulation’s text. These are words that indicate an obligation to comply such as “shall” or “must.” Given the difficulty of measuring regulations, counting restrictions is one of the best ways to measure the size and scope of regulations. These numbers are obtained from using RegData

  5. Top Industry: The industry likely to be most affected by the regulation. Obtained using RegData.

  6. Costs Monetized: Shows whether the agency provides a quantitative estimate of the costs associated with the rule.

  7. Benefits Monetized: Shows whether the agency provides a quantitative estimate of the benefits associated with the rule.