Court grants 90-day extension of current STEM OPT rule while new STEM OPT rule is finalized

in STEM OPT rule
January 25th, 2016

We are pleased to report positive progress in the court case brought against U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by the Washington Alliance of Technology Workers (WashTech) related to STEM OPT.

On January 23, 2016, the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia granted a motion that had been requested by U.S. Department of Homeland Security to extend the vacatur on the STEM OPT program for an additional 90 days until May 10, 2016.

• Read the January 23, 2016 U.S. District Court decision here.

Although the STEM OPT program was in jeopardy of ending effective February 13, 2016, the court’s 90-day extension allows additional time for DHS to complete rulemaking on the new proposed STEM OPT rule that was published on October 19, 2015. Comments on the proposed rule are in the process of being reviewed by DHS in order for the new rule to be revised and published in final form.

• Read a brief ISSO summary of the proposed rule
• Read the proposed STEM OPT rule

Should you have specific questions about this news will impact your situation, please contact ISSO staff.

• For a timeline of developments on the WashTech court case see our past news.