Monthslong processing delays in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services facilities are jeopardizing international students' job offers and legal status.
Ji Hyun graduated from nursing school in December and secured a job offer to work in the intensive care unit of a Georgia hospital. On Nov. 4, she mailed out an application for Optional Practical Training, a 12-month program that allows F-1 student visa holders to temporarily work in the U.S. in the field in which they studied.
The processing lags come as the Biden administration and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas seek to reform the immigration system. "What I can do every day is checking my email, calling the USCIS, calling my [International Student Services] department, trying to get any updates or any information related to this delay."Yohanes, a 25-year-old cybersecurity engineer from Ethiopia, earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in the U.S. before pursuing a year of OPT.
"It's stressful and makes you hopeless. I've been here in the U.S. for almost eight years," said Yohanes, who asked to be identified only by his first name to speak freely about the issue as he seeks to appeal the rejection. "This result reinforces the findings of myriad prior studies that show that foreign-born workers actuallyAlmost 45% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, according to a 2019Immigration lawyer Greg Siskind said the processing delays could interrupt recruitment for high-skilled positions and industries across the country.
"The agency is taking corrective action to minimize any delays, and we'll provide additional updates as they're made available," USCIS spokesperson Matthew Bourke said. Wei Chen, 29, graduated with a Ph.D. in chemistry and biochemistry from U.C. San Diego in December. Her OPT application arrived at the Texas lockbox on Nov. 28, according to a USPS proof of delivery viewed by CNBC. She didn't receive a receipt until Tuesday.
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if USCIS asks not to apply for OPT before 90 days of the start date, then they should process the application within 90 days. How illogical? OPTdelay
I feel sorry for students who can't work and have health insurance for months. But what about us who couldn't have health insurance for 5 years because of USCIS ? Write about us too
This is a highly stressful situation for me and thousands of other F-1 students at risk of losing our jobs over USCIS delays. Thank you for bringing this to light! F1optEadDelay
Thanks for reporting this insane delay by USCIS! It affected thousands and thousands of international students' life and dream! Please speed up! USCIS JUSTICE4OPT optdelay
We need those bright and educated immigrants to support us in our old age otherwise we would need to reduce our Social Security checks when no one is working for us.
Thank you for supporting us! And please help us in applying our voices regarding the OPT delay by USCIS optdelay SaveDelayedOPT POTUS VP AliMayorkas NAFSA F1optEadDelay
f1optlockboxdelay f1optEADdelay DHSgov AliMayorkas ACEducation NAFSA POTUS VP ACEducation DrBiden
Thank you for stepping up.
SaveDelayedOPT The USCIS seems like a black hole, you don't know what they are doing with OPT applications and they never gave a valid explanation for those delays. They claim it is due to covid-19, but the same delay occurs in 2019 before the pandemic. They can speed up but they choose not to
This article represents thousands of international students who are suffering months long wait to no fault of their own. Please grant students conditional approval until the backlog is fixed! USCIS AliMayorkas RobCohenEsq f1opteaddelay f1optlockboxdelay JUSTICE4OPT
90+ days finally got my receipt notice, now please speed up the OPT approval USCIS
PLEASE APPROVE OPT. Provide Conditional EAD approval with I20. f1optlockboxdelay f1opteaddelay DHSgov AliMayorkas ACEducation NAFSA POTUS VP ACEducation DrBiden USCIS
SaveDelayedOPT I have been waiting for 110 days since my receipt date and my recruiter reaches out to me for EAD update every week.
Thank you for acknowledging the issue that we are facing. This delay is unacceptable and is causing severe harm to the future of international students here. I hope USCIS does something quickly to resolve it F1optEadDelay
I have an advanced degree and I’m doing a highly sophisticated job in the tech industry. I applied for extension in 2020 and don’t even have a receipt after more than two months. Now I’ll have to consider quitting my job and seeking for career in other places. Well done USCIS.
USCIS (POTOMAC SERVICE CENTER) F1 OPT (I-765) APPROVAL DELAY !!!! Expedite receipting and approving. HELP!! PLEASE APPROVE OPT. Provide Conditional EAD approval with I20. f1optlockboxdelay f1opteaddelay DHSgov AliMayorkas ACEducation NAFSA POTUS VP ACEducation DrBiden
SaveDelayedOPT Thanks hannahmiao_ for the interview and for reporting the issue! optdelay f1optlockboxdelay
Thank you so much for your support to us! We international students have made great contributions to the US economy but are unfairly treated by USCIS!
We are international students like Ji facing the risk of losing job offers and legal status!!! Pls speed up OPT process!!! Pls follow first in first out!!! Pls issue EAD within 90 days!!! USCIS AliMayorkas DHSgov NAFSA ACEducation VP POTUS OPTdelay
I have waited for 64 days but heard NOTHING back from USCIS! They are letting students bear the cost of their incompetency and let the needed workforce go away. NO remedies. What do taxpayers pay for f1optlockboxdelay JUSTICE4OPT OPTDELAY StudentOPTVisaDelay NAFSA
Thank you for a speaking up for us international students! We are here to help the US to create more jobs! We are not “stealing jobs”! USCIS please wake up and process our applications! AliMayorkas NAFSA AILANational SaveDelayedOPT JUCETICE4OPT optdelay
USCIS has let me waiting 3 months for a receipt. I haven't received a OPT receipt yet.
if USCIS continues to work like it is right now. The incoming int'l students would reduce further, due to loss in trust of getting an OPT be realistic. Fewer int'l students-less growth-fewer new jobs for US citizens. f1opteaddelay optdelay
The money that international students pay to colleges obviously create jobs around and in colleges and hence increase the pool of qualified workers which allow companies to grow and create more jobs! thank you for covering this. f1opteaddelay optdelay
OPT is extremely time sensitive, we are losing our grace periods, our offers, our jobs, and our legitimate status in the US! Because USCIS did nothing! They affected not to see us! We are more than happy to be a volunteer if the lockbox problem will never be solved by themself.
Pls speed up OPT process!!! Pls issue EAD within 90 days!!! US need high-skilled workers like us !!! AliMayorkas DHSgov USCIS NAFSA POTUS ACEducation
We are high skilled workers including STEM PhD to help grow America’s economy! Please speed up the optdelay! AliMayorkas DHSgov USCIS
JUSTICE4OPT AliMayorkas USCIS AILANational NAFSA POTUS VP
International students,recent grads have contributed to their communities. They provided tremendous efforts to the economy and support overcome pandemic. optdelay has caused uncountable negative impact on them, especially who mailed their application during Nov/Dec.USCIS
Thanks for reporting our situation! Please speed up the OPT process! USCIS DHSgov VP AliMayorkas optdelay
Thank you CNBC for writing this!!!
USCIS
Thanks for speaking out! There are many other international students including myself have lost their jobs due to the delay caused by USCIS. We are here to contribute but now even our legal status is at risk
87 days for a receipt, and not sure how many days for approval. USCIS please help us and speed up the approvals of OPT optdelay
Thousands of thousands international students have lost or are losing their legal rights of their opt opportunities. Pls speed up the processes USCIS it is your duty and obligation to do so!!!
please speed up！
Thank you so much for reporting this tragedy caused by the unacceptable delay by USCIS ! Please approve our application within 90 days! AliMayorkas NAFSA AILANational RobCohenEsq JUSTICE4OPT
Thank you for the concern and article. International students help the economy and bring new job opportunities eventually. To USCIS: please solve the problem and do not reject or deny if the student has already passed his grace period. USCIS AliMayorkas
Please help international students! Please issue EAD cards within 90 days USCIS AliMayorkas
Thanks, for covering our story. Hoping to get my Initial OPT soon :(
Thanks for speaking for those desperate students! They did nothing wrong but are losing everything in the US USCIS
We are not here to steal jobs. We are here to develop this country. Please help international students in opt delay.
Thanks for helping spread this.
We are international students like Ji facing the risk of losing job offers and legitimate status!!! Pls speed up OPT process!!! Pls follow first in first out!!! Pls issue EAD within 90 days!!! USCIS AliMayorkas DHSgov NAFSA ACEducation VP POTUS OPTdelay
Very grateful to RobCohenEsq for filing a Class-Action Lawsuit on behalf of international students who are suffering from USCIS‘s undue delay in opening, processing, and adjudicating OPT and STEM OPT applications! F1OptEADDelay OPTDelay JUSTICE4OPT AliMayorkas
Thanks for speaking for those desperate students! They did nothing wrong but are losing everything in the US
Thank you! I am literally crying to read your article which helps the outside hear our voice
USCIS now is generating receipt notice for Feb 2021 OPT applicant instead of Dec 2020!!! USCIS FORGETs students who filed in Dec 2020 are still waiting for the receipt notice! USCIS Please issue OPT receipt notice for Dec 2020 applicants! POTUS VP AliMayorkas NAFSA
This delay is unacceptable. USCIS allows students to send the application only 90 days before graduating but take 4 months+ to approve. If the timeline dosent match allow students to apply in much advance. THIS IS UNFAIR. DHSgov POTUS VP f1opteaddelay f1optlockboxdelay
There are many international students like Ji facing with the same risk of loosing jobs or offers! We are not here to steal but to contribute! No one’s gonna take the high-skilled work, US needs us! AliMayorkas USCIS AILANational NAFSA
This article represents thousands of international students who are suffering months long wait to no fault of their own. Please grant students conditional approval until the backlog is fixed! USCIS AliMayorkas RobCohenEsq f1opteaddelay f1optlockboxdelay JUSTICE4OPT
USCIS now is issuing receipt notice for Feb 2021 OPT applicant! BUT they seems to FORGET students who filed on Dec 2020 still waiting for the receipt notice! USCIS Please issue OPT receipt notice for Dec 2020 applicant! optdelay SaveDelayedOPT POTUS VP AliMayorkas NAFSA
Yes impact USCIS revoke 90 days give students' EAD card, now USCIS is destroying our future. We follow the 30-60-90 rule but USCIS doesn't follow the rule.USCIS AliMayorkas
Universities need revenue$...PPP loves Hoarder$.
Hey, even if you don't have it but when you admit the real problems, you can be heard more easily.