According to the US Embassy, Indian immigrants encompass 20% of the foreign student group who aim to gain the know-how of emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Especially students who desire to study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses prefer the US as their go-to destination for its quality education, frontline universities, and diverse culture. However, US immigration policies require students to possess a Certificate of F1-VISA.

What is an F-1 visa?

An F-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa that enables students to enter the US provinces and attend a university or college, high school, elementary school, seminary, language training program, or other academic organisation. Till now, Indian students holding an F-1 visa could avail of up to 12 months of optional practical training (OPT), pre or post-completion of their graduate studies in STEM. They could apply for another year of OPT when seeking a postsecondary degree at a higher level. However, there were a few challenges related to the postgraduate employment visa and its transformation to a work visa, which the country aims to revamp to attract international students.

What are the revised provisions of an F-1 visa?

In September 2022, the USCIS announced a revision of employment authorisation applicable from March 6 to extend a student’s retention period in the US, reduce the backlog, and enhance processing efficiency. In this policy, selected categories of students on F-1 visas who pursue studies in STEM or its allied modules can opt for an additional 24 months extension of their OPT program to find a suitable employment opportunity. Once the extension period ends, they can apply for an H-1B work visa or search for an employer willing to sponsor their work visas.

Moreover, the revised F-1 visa provision focuses on premium processing of employment authorisation.That said, a student on an F-1 visa can apply for an H-1B work visa by filling out Forms I-129, I-140, and I-765 for Employment Authorisation and Form I-907 for Requesting Premium Processing Service. The USCIS will take 15 calendar days (instead of 210) to process the applications from submission, accelerating their review process and reducing turnaround time.

How will premium processing benefit Indian students?

Shorter processing time and greater review efficiency under premium processing will likely relieve students of long waiting periods and streamline the immigration experience. Especially for Indian immigrants, an expedited application review will increase the likelihood of temporary employment shortly after graduation and expose students to hands-on training through OPT in the US within a month. Additionally, students can fill out the application Form I-907 for a premium processing upgrade on paper or online easily and concurrently with Form I-765. It aims to enhance operational efficiencies and provide easy access to the immigration system for applicants, stakeholders, petitioners, and requestors.

Conclusion

Studying and working in the US is an ambition for many Indian students who pursue their education in science, technology, engineering, and math. Post-pandemic, the US approved 82,000 visa applications for Indian students in 2022. However, students who applied for OPT exposure or work authorisation after graduation had to wait at least 210 days for an H-1B work visa.

Relieving this long wait, the USCIS has recently made the employment authorisation review process quick and efficient. Students can now opt for 15-day premium application processing to save time and hassle. Such policies are poised to make education and employment in the US more lucrative, streamlined, and convenient in the future for students worldwide.