UC Santa Barbara is “closely reviewing” its off-campus employment for international students following a memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid increased oversight from the federal government.
The university offers international students work outside of campus related to their major as required by a class through a program called curricular practical training. The work program is housed within the Department of Homeland Security.
Many schools across the country offer a similar program for international students with F-1 visas to gain work experience.
Campuses like UCLA and UC Berkeley recently paused their work programs for international students after they were informed by ICE officials that some campuses were not following the program’s guidelines.
On Aug. 12, a memo was sent by ICE to all designated schools with the work experience program, which includes UCSB.
In the memo, ICE officials stated that the agency found an uptick in campuses that did not meet the federal government’s requirements for upholding the work program for international students, including that the program must be related to a student’s area of study and cannot be “solely for the purpose of employment.”
“Our campus is closely reviewing the new CPT [curricular practical training] guidance from the Department of Homeland Security to understand its full implications,” wrote Kiki Reyes, spokesperson for UCSB, in a statement to the News-Press.
Previously, international students at UCSB who apply to the work program must prove that their employment is related to their major and a requirement for a class.
ICE officials in the memo sent to UCSB and other campuses in the country stated that the program cannot solely be used for employment for F-1 visa students, and that it must be recognized as part of an academic program.
Santa Barbara City College, which offers curricular practical training for F-1 visa students, has not made any changes to its current process, wrote Carola Smith, vice president of the school of extended learning at City College, in an email.
While some programs like the culinary arts and hospitality at City College require curricular practical training or a work experience component for its associate’s degree, the college does not require it for most degree programs, Smith wrote.
As of publication, it is unclear if UCSB’s work experience program for international students will continue for the upcoming school year.
“We are committed to supporting all affected students during this time,” Reyes wrote.
