Amazon, Google, Tesla among top 25 OPT hirers in US; Indians lead STEM list

More international students in the US were hired through the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme in 2024 than ever before — and Amazon, Google and Microsoft emerged as the top recruiters, according to the latest Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) data released by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Under OPT, foreign students on an F-1 visa are allowed to work in the US in a role related to their field of study, either during their course or after graduation. Those with degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) can also apply for a two-year STEM OPT extension.
More foreign students worked in 2024
According to DHS, 194,554 foreign students received OPT work authorisation in 2024, up from 160,627 in 2023 — a 21.1% increase and the fourth consecutive year of growth. An additional 95,384 students were approved for STEM OPT extensions, reflecting a 54% rise from the previous year. Meanwhile, 130,586 students worked under Curricular Practical Training (CPT), representing a slight decline of 0.4%.
The total number of unique foreign students who received practical training approval (after removing duplicates for those who received more than one authorisation) was 381,140.
Most students who took part in STEM OPT in 2024 were from India and China. Of the 165,524 students approved:
48.0% were from India
20.4% were from China
California continued to host the largest share of international students, with 14.6% of all active SEVIS records — 237,763 in total.
Top 25 employers for foreign students under OPT in 2024 (pre- and post-completion)
Amazon – 5,379
University of California – 2,112
Arizona State University – 1,895
University of Texas – 1,305
Bright Mind Enrichment and Schooling – 1,234
Tesla – 1,170
Goldman Sachs – 1,148
Apple – 1,135
Google – 1,110
Meta – 1,081
Microsoft – 1,066
ByteDance – 1,045
Deloitte – 1,033
Walmart – 951
Intel – 946
State University of New York – 906
Ernst & Young – 889
Johns Hopkins – 827
Harvard – 799
Community Dreams Foundation – 795
University of Michigan – 767
University of Southern California – 717
University of Illinois – 714
McKinsey & Company – 680
JP Morgan Chase – 675
Top 25 employers for foreign students under STEM OPT in 2024
Amazon – 6,679
Google – 1,778
Microsoft – 1,496
Meta – 1,302
University of California – 1,302
Walmart – 1,140
Intel – 1,023
Apple – 973
Goldman Sachs – 962
Tesla – 901
JP Morgan Chase – 887
Ernst & Young – 854
Deloitte – 833
McKinsey & Company – 810
ByteDance – 642
Tata Consultancy Services – 639
Stanford University – 541
University of Texas – 536
Citigroup – 517
Bloomberg – 456
Qualcomm – 455
Oracle – 445
Boston Consulting Group – 412
NVIDIA – 410
Cummins – 410
Top 25 employers for foreign students under CPT in 2024
Amazon – 3,205
Tesla – 1,118
Lindsey Wilson College – 1,028
Google – 880
Microsoft – 819
NVIDIA – 743
Meta – 657
Deloitte – 614
Apple – 600
Intel – 512
JP Morgan Chase – 400
Goldman Sachs – 386
Walmart – 344
ByteDance – 337
Adobe Inc – 332
Advanced Micro Devices – 319
Cummins – 308
Ernst & Young – 299
World Bank – 292
CVS – 276
Qualcomm – 270
University of Texas – 267
Morgan Stanley – 267
Tata Consultancy Services – 266
Boston Consulting Group – 181
OPT used to access long-term US jobs
According to Varun Singh, managing director at XIPHIAS Immigration, the continued surge in OPT and STEM OPT reflects how international students are using the route to access longer-term job opportunities in the US.
'The growing demand for skilled talent in sectors like technology, engineering and healthcare has created an environment where Indian students are increasingly seen as a strong workforce,' he told Business Standard.
Singh added that the STEM OPT extension gives Indian graduates more time to build networks and secure employment. 'Despite the competitive H-1B process and shifting visa rules, the OPT route remains a critical bridge for many students aiming to build careers in the US,' Singh said.

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