Philadelphia leaders are working to keep more international graduates in the region, after research showed only a third stay after completing optional practical training. The effort was presented this week at the inaugural Philadelphia: A Global Education Hub conference, a two-day event at Temple University. The research, conducted by the Economic League of Greater Philadelphia, found that in 2023, of the city's 1,333 international graduates working on optional practical training, 421 stayed in the region.
The Retention Gap
Every year, the greater Philadelphia area sees about 23,000 international students studying at its colleges and universities. But just under a third of students who go on to participate in OPT after graduating a Philadelphia college remain in the area. In 2023, of the city's 1,333 international graduates working on optional practical training, the postgraduation work program for international students, 421 stayed in the region to do so.¹
The research was conducted by the Economic League of Greater Philadelphia and presented at the inaugural Philadelphia: A Global Education Hub conference. The two-day event was held at Temple University. The findings highlight a gap between the number of international students who study in the region and those who stay to work after graduation.¹
The findings highlight a gap between the number of international students who study in the region and those who stay to work after graduation.¹
Building a Talent Collaborative
International House Philadelphia, a nonprofit that supports international students in the region, has been working on improving international student recruitment and retention in the area since before Trump's second term. The effort is a part of a larger effort, called the PA Global Talent Collaborative. The collaborative brings together colleges, nonprofits, and employers to address the barriers that keep international graduates from staying.¹
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Read More →Anuj Gupta, president and CEO of the Welcoming Center, a Philadelphia nonprofit focused on workforce development for immigrants, is part of this push. Foreign-born employers throughout the state are hiring more of their fellow Pennsylvanians, which suggests that immigrant entrepreneurs are contributing to local job growth. Research also shows that a higher number of individuals working on STEM optional practical training, which allows graduates of U.S. STEM programs to stay and work for three years, leads to an increase in innovation and new start-ups in the cities where they live.¹
Federal Hurdles
The Trump administration has claimed that international students who stay to work in the U.S. take jobs from domestic graduates. The Department of Homeland Security is currently seeking to impose a $70,000 fee on colleges for every student who applies for OPT. The administration's previous efforts to decrease the number of foreign workers in the U.S., such as attaching a $100,000 fee to H-1B visas, haven't yet been successful.¹
Charity Alinda, director of international student and scholar advising at Bryn Mawr College, said, "This is not a time to raise our hands and recoil." Yuhong He, director of integration, community engagement and marketing at International Student and Scholar Services at the University of Pennsylvania, is also involved in retention efforts. These campus leaders are working to make the region more welcoming despite federal policy pressure.¹
Practical Barriers for Students
Some programs, like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, require volunteers to have a Social Security number, which many international students do not have. The majority of international students do not own cars, which limits their ability to reach volunteer sites or jobs outside the city center. These practical obstacles can make it harder for international students to build local networks and find work.¹
If a volunteer opportunity is too similar to the student's course of study, DHS may consider it an unapproved unpaid internship. This creates a legal risk for students who want to gain experience while volunteering. The PA Global Talent Collaborative is working to address these barriers by connecting students with opportunities that fit within visa rules.¹
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Read More →These practical obstacles can make it harder for international students to build local networks and find work.¹
Weigh STEM OPT for city careers
If you are an international graduate deciding where to work, the data shows a clear advantage for STEM fields: a higher number of people on STEM optional practical training leads to more innovation and new start-ups in their cities. That means a STEM role in Philadelphia offers a stronger chance of joining a growing local ecosystem, rather than a one-off job. When comparing offers, ask whether your employer supports your three-year STEM OPT window, since that longer runway aligns with the city's push to retain talent.¹
For employers and career advisors, the practical barriers matter. Most international students do not own cars, so jobs or volunteer sites outside the city center are harder to reach. Also, a volunteer role too similar to a student's course of study risks being treated as an unapproved unpaid internship by DHS. When hiring or mentoring, factor in transportation access and check that any unpaid experience fits visa rules, so you do not inadvertently block a candidate's work eligibility.¹
Sources
Written by Career Ahead AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify key facts. Report errors to support@careeraheadonline.com
