# Keep STEM Graduates in America Act of 2024

This bill makes it easier for foreign students who graduate from American colleges with degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) to stay and work in the United States after they finish school. Right now, these students face tight deadlines and limited visa options, so many leave the country even though American companies want to hire them. This bill tries to change that by giving them more time and more opportunities to remain here.

The bill does three main things. First, it extends the amount of time foreign STEM graduates can work in the U.S. on what's called "optional practical training" from about two years to four years. It also gives them more time to apply for this training—stretching the application window from two months to six months. Second, the bill increases the number of H-1B work visas (the main visa type for skilled workers) available to STEM graduates from 20,000 to 30,000 per year. Third, it changes the lottery system used to award these visas so that STEM degree holders get priority over other applicants.

The practical effect is that a foreign student who graduates with an engineering or computer science degree could now work in the U.S. for four years instead of two, giving them more time to find a permanent job or sponsorship. They'd also have better odds of getting an H-1B visa since STEM graduates would be prioritized in the selection process. The bill requires the government to report back within a year on whether these changes actually help keep more foreign STEM graduates in America, suggesting lawmakers want to see if this approach works before potentially making further changes.