The US Court has recently ruled to uphold the legality of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, including the STEM extension.
The program provides the students with a chance to acquire job training related to their academic field after they have graduated.
STEM OPT extension is the only post-qualification work opportunity that students can avail in the US and is a major factor that attracts foreign students - many of them Indians.
STEM students are eligible to obtain an extension of 24 months, taking the total authorised working time to 3 years.
The case came to light as the Washington Alliance of Technology Workers Union challenged an OPT rule stating that it was beyond the scope of the F-1 visa class issued to international students.