Supreme Court Rules to Keep Optional Practical Training Intact

On October 2, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court indicated that it will not hear the WashTech case (Washington Alliance of Tech. Workers v. Department of Homeland Security) that challenged the legality of the Department of Homeland Security’s authority to create and maintain its Optional Practical Training (OPT) program for international students (F-1). This puts the case to rest once again, and leaves in place the lower courts' decisions upholding the program. The court’s decision to leave OPT intact resolves a major area of uncertainty for international students and preserves an important tool—applied learning—for student advancement and U.S. competitiveness in the global economy.