Washington, March 20 : US lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill to protect a key work programme for international students, aiming to retain foreign graduates, including thousands from India, amid rising global competition for skilled talent.

Representatives Sam Liccardo, Jay Obernolte and Indian American Raja Krishnamoorthi unveiled the Keep Innovators in America Act to codify the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme into law, providing long-term certainty for students, universities and employers.

The legislation seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to formally allow international students to undertake practical training and employment authorisation tied to their field of study, including after completing degree requirements.

For more than three decades, administrations from both parties have maintained OPT through rulemaking. Lawmakers said codifying it would prevent abrupt policy shifts and ensure continuity.

â??We have a choice: educate the best and brightest students in the US to help America succeed, or send them home to China, India, and other rivals to launch companies to compete against us,â?? said Liccardo.

Obernolte said the bill would bring clarity and accountability to the programme. â??Codifying the Optional Practical Training program provides needed clarity and accountability for a program that allows students to gain practical experience in their field of study,â?? he said. He added that retaining talent was critical â??at a time of intensifying global competition.â??

The move comes after the Trump administration signalled in November that it could eliminate the OPT programme, raising concerns that US-trained talent could shift to competing economies.

International students play a significant role in the US economy. In the 2024â??2025 academic year alone, they contributed $42.9 billion, supporting businesses, research institutions and local communities.

Support for the bill spans a wide coalition of industry groups, universities and immigration advocates.

Jill Welch, Executive Director of the US for Success Coalition, said Congress has â??an opportunity to provide clarity and stability by codifying OPT and ensuring the United States remains the worldâ??s leading destination for global talent.â??

Linda Moore, President and CEO of TechNet, called the bill â??a smart, bipartisan step to strengthen US innovation and competitiveness,â?? adding that codifying OPT would provide â??the long-term certainty that students, universities, and employers need.â??

Todd Schulte, President of FWD.us, said allowing international students to work after graduation â??is not just common sense, it is essential to our countryâ??s long term economic strength.â??

According to Benjamin Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, international students are â??a cornerstone of Americaâ??s innovation pipeline and a powerful driver of local economies.â?? He noted they contribute more than $40 billion annually and support hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Education groups said more than 290,000 international students pursued OPT in the 2024â??2025 academic year, many in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, helping fill workforce gaps.

Industry leaders also stressed the national security and economic stakes. Jason Oxman, President and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council, said the bill ensures â??the best students continue to receive practical training and employment authorisation to innovate in the USâ?? not abroad.â??

Scott Corley, Executive Director of Compete America, said maintaining OPT is â??an essential step toward keeping top talent in the United States and ensuring our economy, national security, and innovation ecosystem remain the strongest in the world.â??

For India, the issue is particularly significant. Indian students are among the largest cohorts of international students in the United States, and many rely on OPT as a bridge between education and employment.

OPT has long complemented the H-1B visa system by allowing graduates to gain work experience before transitioning to longer-term employment pathways. The programme is especially important in STEM sectors, where US employers face persistent talent shortages.

In recent years, global competition for skilled workers has intensified, with countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia expanding post-study work options to attract international students.

/IANS