A pause on some OPT applications has left international students in the U.S. in limbo for months as they wait to determine whether they can start or continue authorized employment after graduation. The issue affects students from 40 countries and territories listed on the Trump administration’s travel ban and is escalating uncertainty for students who depend on OPT timing for career outcomes, employer onboarding, and income support. As the spring semester winds down, delayed OPT decisions can disrupt recruitment pipelines for employers and create additional financial and academic planning stress for students who have already completed degree requirements. The situation underscores how federal processing changes can translate quickly into institutional enrollment and career-services risk, especially for nontraditional and employer-dependent programs.