February 3, 2012.  In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, the Obama Administration has announced a series of planned reforms to help attract and retain highly-skilled foreign workers. The most important reforms include:

• Allowing F-1 international students with any degree in a STEM field (not just their most recent degree) to extend their OPT by another 17 months

• Allowing spouses of F-1 students to take academic classes (not just vocational or recreational classes) on a part time basis

• Allowing spouses of H-1B holders who have been sponsored for permanent residence to obtain work authorization as soon as labor certification is obtained (or I-140 filed)

• Allowing outstanding professors and researchers to present a broader range of evidence in support of their EB-1B visa applications

DHS said it will also launch an “Entrepreneurs in Residence initiative” at the end of February to bring high-level representatives from the entrepreneurial community, academia, and federal government agencies together to discuss how to maximize current immigration laws' potential to attract foreign entrepreneurial talent. However, no timeframes have been given for implementing the proposed reforms.

Entire Immigration News Story