Amazon, Google, and Microsoft lead as top employers of foreign STEM students in US

By Minh Nga June 17, 2025 | 04:00 am PT

People take part in a rally in support of Amazon workers on strike, outside the Amazon warehouse, in Coventry, Britain, Jan. 25, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Tech giants Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have emerged as top recruiters of international students through the U.S. Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

According to the latest report from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), managed by Homeland Security Investigations under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Amazon led with 6,679 new hires in 2024. Google followed with 1,778, Microsoft with 1,496, and Meta with 1,302.

Other major employers rounding out the top 10 are the University of California (1,302 students), Walmart (1,140), Intel (1,023), Apple (973), Goldman Sachs (962), and Tesla (901).

OPT is a popular work authorization program that allows international students with F-1 visa to gain hands-on experience in their field of study. It permits up to 12 months of employment either before (pre-completion) or after (post-completion) graduation.

For students in eligible STEM majors, an additional 24-month extension, known as STEM OPT, is available. All participants must obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

In 2024, a total of 194,554 international students were granted OPT work authorization, marking a 21% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, 95,384 students received STEM OPT authorization, a 54% jump year-on-year.

Amazon also topped the list of employers for pre- and post-completion OPT (excluding STEM OPT), with 5,379 students. The University of California followed with 2,112, Arizona State University with 1,895, the University of Texas with 1,305, and Tesla with 1,170.

Commenting on the trend, Dmitri Litvinov, CEO and founder of Dreem, told Financial Express that the sharp rise in OPT and STEM OPT participation reflects a strategic shift by tech companies.

"Amid tightening U.S. immigration policies that make H-1B and green card processes more difficult, companies are turning to OPT as a way to attract and develop emerging international talent early in their careers," he said.

He added that the STEM OPT extension, in particular, enables companies to build and sustain a long-term talent pipeline to meet the growing demands of the U.S. tech sector.