I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2627 
To provide lawful permanent resident status for certain advanced STEM 
degree holders, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 3, 2025 
Mr. FOSTER (for himself, Mr. LAWLER, Ms. HOULAHAN, and Ms. NORTON) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary 
A BILL 
To provide lawful permanent resident status for certain 
advanced STEM degree holders, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Keep STEM Talent 
Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. VISA REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) GRADUATE DEGREE VISA REQUIREMENTS.—To 
be approved for or maintain nonimmigrant status under 
section 101(a)(15)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(F)), a student seeking to pur-
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mit an annual report to the Committee on the Judiciary 
of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
House of Representatives detailing the implementation 
and effectiveness of the requirement for foreign graduate 
students pursuing advanced degrees in STEM fields to 
seek admission prior to pursuing a graduate degree pro-
gram. The report shall include data on visa application 
volumes, processing times, security outcomes, and eco-
nomic impacts. 
SEC. 3. LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS FOR CER-
TAIN ADVANCED STEM DEGREE HOLDERS. 
(a) ALIENS NOT SUBJECT TO DIRECT NUMERICAL 
LIMITATIONS.—Section 201(b)(1) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(1)) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(F)(i) Aliens who— 
‘‘(I) have earned a degree in a STEM 
field at the master’s level or higher while 
physically present in the United States 
from a United States institution of higher 
education (as defined in section 101(a) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001(a))) accredited by an accred-
iting entity recognized by the Department 
of Education; 
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‘‘(II) have an offer of employment 
from, or are employed by, a United States 
employer to perform work that is directly 
related to such degree at a rate of pay that 
is higher than the median wage level for 
the occupational classification in the area 
of employment, as determined by the Sec-
retary of Labor; and 
‘‘(III) have an approved labor certifi-
cation under section 212(a)(5)(A)(i); or 
‘‘(IV) are the spouses and children of 
aliens described in subclauses (I) through 
(III) who are accompanying or following to 
join such aliens. 
‘‘(ii) In this subparagraph, the term 
‘STEM field’ means a field of science, 
technology, engineering, or mathematics 
described in the most recent version of the 
Classification of Instructional Programs of 
the Department of Education taxonomy 
under the summary group of— 
‘‘(I) computer and information 
sciences and support services; 
‘‘(II) engineering; 
‘‘(III) mathematics and statistics; 
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‘‘(IV) biological and biomedical 
sciences; 
‘‘(V) physical sciences; 
‘‘(VI) agriculture sciences; or 
‘‘(VII) natural resources and con-
servation sciences.’’. 
(b) PROCEDURE FOR GRANTING IMMIGRATION STA-
TUS.—Section 204(a)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Na-
tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1154(a)(1)(F)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘203(b)(2)’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘Attorney General’’; and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘203(b)(2), 203(b)(3), or 
201(b)(1)(F) may file a petition with the Secretary 
of Homeland Security’’. 
(c) LABOR CERTIFICATION.—Section 212(a)(5)(D) 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1182(a)(5)(D)) 
is 
amended 
by 
inserting 
‘‘section 
201(b)(1)(F) or under’’ after ‘‘adjustment of status 
under’’. 
(d) DUAL INTENT FOR F NONIMMIGRANTS SEEKING 
ADVANCED STEM DEGREES AT UNITED STATES INSTI-
TUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—Notwithstanding sec-
tions 101(a)(15)(F)(i) and 214(b) of the Immigration and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1101(a)(15)(F)(i) 
and 
1184(b)), an alien who is a bona fide student admitted 
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to a program in a STEM field (as defined in subparagraph 
(F)(ii) of section 201(b)(1) of the Immigration and Na-
tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(1))) for a degree at the 
master’s level or higher at a United States institution of 
higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) accredited 
by an accrediting entity recognized by the Department of 
Education may obtain a student visa, be admitted to the 
United States as a nonimmigrant student, or extend or 
change nonimmigrant status to pursue such degree even 
if such alien seeks lawful permanent resident status in the 
United States. Nothing in this subsection may be con-
strued to modify or amend section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) or 
214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1101(a)(15)(F)(i) or 1184(b)), or any regulation inter-
preting these authorities for an alien who is not described 
in this subsection. 
Æ 
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