The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) recently issued its long-awaited F–1 nonimmigrant student visa regulations on optional practical training (“OPT”) for certain students with degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (“STEM”) from U.S. institutions of higher education. The final rule allows such F–1 STEM students who have elected to pursue 12 months of OPT in the United States to extend the OPT period by 24 months (also known as STEM OPT extension). This 24-month extension effectively replaces the 17-month STEM OPT extension previously available to certain STEM students, whereby the STEM OPT Employment Authorization Document (“EAD”) issued will be valid for 24 months instead of 17 months.