According to a recent Boundless study, a record 194,554 international students were granted work permits under Optional Practical Training (OPT) in 2024. A record 165,524 total students participated in STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) in 2024. Of those, 95,384 received new STEM OPT authorizations, primarily from India (48%) and China (20.4%).
95,384 students with work permits through STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) OPT shows a 54% increase in just one year.
2024 marks the fourth consecutive year of STEM OPT growth in the US. This shows that international students are not just studying in the U.S. but also gaining work experience in high-demand fields like artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and engineering.
In 2024, the U.S. international student enrollment reached 1.58 million, a 5.3% increase from the previous year.
Over 70% of international students came from Asia, with India (422,335) and China (329,541) leading as the top countries of origin. Together, they represented 47.5% of all active SEVIS records in 2024.
Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple were among the largest employers of students participating in OPT and STEM OPT in 2024.
OPT allows employers to hire talented individuals without needing to immediately sponsor them for a work visa. This gives them time to determine if they want to hire the student permanently and sponsor them for a longer-term work visa.
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