This Obscure Program Feeds the H-1B Visa—Meet Optional Practical Training

WASHINGTON—Americans have become familiar with the H-1B, a skilled worker visa that has sparked heated debates among conservatives. But there’s a key feeder for the visa that many Americans may not know—one that is meeting increased scrutiny from Congress ahead of possible reforms from the Trump administration. Optional Practical Training, or OPT, allows foreign nationals on student visas to work in the United States before or, in many cases, after they have completed their studies. While some have touted its provision of skilled labor, concern has grown about potential displacement of American tech workers by the program, which has grown to more than 400,000 participants as of 2024....