理工科学生重大利好：美国OPT增至三年

2016年3月9日，美国白宫发布消息，美国国土安全部(DHS)正式通过了STEM OPT延期政策，STEM专业学生将享有从原来17个月OPT延期增至24个月，加上所有国际学生都有的12个月OPT时间，即STEM学生一共36个月OPT时间，是非STEM专业学生三倍的。这将使赴美攻读STEM专业（STEM为science, technology, engineering, mathematics 四类专业缩写，即我们常说的理工科专业）的本科及研究生毕业生受益。

据悉，相关文件将于3月11日在Dederal Register网站发布，此政策将于2016年5月10日生效。

什么是OPT？

OPT即Optional Practical Training(专业实习)的简称，是美国F1学生签证毕业后的实习期。F1签证学生可以在毕业之后有1年的Optional Practical Training时间，简称OPT，这段时间你有工作许可，可以为任何公司服务，但要求工作必须与专业有关，这段时间基本不受限制，可以在美国停留。如果国际生在毕业后60天内仍未申请到OPT，就必须离开美国。

普通留学美国学生持F1签证的学生是不可以在美国全职工作的，毕业以后，学生可以在相关专业领域寻找工作实习单位，申请OPT拿到移民局发放的EAD（Employment Authorization Document）才可以全职上班。在实习期间，仍然保留F1的学生身份，实习期间如果找到合适的工作单位，签订正式的雇佣合同，学生身份F1转换为工作身份H1B。

OPT是学生身份到工作身份的过渡阶段，也就是说国际学生可以得到一定时间的缓冲期合法留在美国找工作、积累工作经验。

对赴美攻读理工科的学生有什么影响？

对于希望毕业后留在美国工作一段时间或者移民的中国学生来说，OPT允许理工科学生毕业后有3年的缓冲期，对理工科学生是重大利好。但对于非STEM专业（我们通常说的文商科）学生来说，则没什么变化，毕业后最多一年的OPT时间，相对来说，留在美国继续工作的概率就小很多了。

以下为白宫网站发布的相关内容：

To strengthen educational experiences of today’s international students studying in STEM fields at U.S. universities, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a final rule to expand and extend the use of the existing Optional Practical Training (OPT) program for STEM graduates. The STEM OPT program gives international students who pursued undergraduate and graduate degrees in the U.S. the chance to supplement their classroom education with practical skills training to support a successful career transition.  As a result of this final rule:

• Beginning May 10th, certain international students earning STEM degrees from accredited U.S. universities can stay in the United States for an additional 24 months post-graduation to participate in on-the-job training within the STEM field. The new rule requires international students and employers to develop individualized training plans that enhance students’ educational experience with practical training. (All international students remain eligible for an initial 12 months of OPT, regardless of degree field.) 
• To better protect international students and U.S. workers, the rule includes safeguards to prevent student exploitation and protect the job security of U.S. workers.
• Ultimately, the final rule lengthens STEM OPT from 17 months to 24 months, allows for two lifetime STEM OPT extensions instead of one, and provides eligibility for non-STEM graduates (e.g., MBAs) to participate in STEM OPT based on a prior STEM degree obtained in the past 10 years at an accredited college or university.
• DHS estimates that about 34,000 individuals are participating in this program at present, and that the total number of affected students will expand in the coming years.