As a part of comprehensive immigration reform, President Barack Obama announced his support of legislative measures that would attract and retain international students who create jobs and boost competitiveness in the US, mostly those with STEM degrees. Hotcourses Abroad reports.

To make America more attractive to highly-skilled foreign students and workers, the United States has announced a series of changes in the F-1 and H-1B visa rules that may benefit overseas professionals.

One of the proposals is aimed to expand eligibility for 17-month extension of optional practical training (OPT) for F-1 international students to include students with a prior degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), on top of the standard 12 months granted to all students on the scheme.

The changes would also allow F-1 international students’ spouses to engage in part-time studies, who so far have only been allowed to enroll in vocational courses. The DHS also seeks to expand the number of Designated School Officials (DSOs) at schools certified by this body to enroll international students and support them through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the interim measures seek to improve the competitiveness of US companies in the world market and stimulating US job creation.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will launch its Entrepreneurs in Residence initiative with an Information Summit in Silicon Valley, California on 22 February to discuss how to maximize current immigration laws' potential to attract foreign entrepreneurial talent.

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