Notice2023-24014
Exchange Visitor Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 31, 2023
Effective
October 20, 2023
Issuing agencies
State Department
Abstract
In accordance with the General Provisions of the Exchange Visitor Program regulations, the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State extends the waiver and modification of certain regulatory requirements with respect to a temporary educational and cultural exchange program established pursuant to an arrangement between the Government of the United States and the Government of Ukraine. Under the original arrangement for Special Student Relief, eligible Ukrainian college and university students on J-1 visas who have continuously resided in the United States since April 11, 2022, could carry lighter course loads and work full- or part- time, on or off campus until October 23, 2023. Under the modified and extended arrangement, eligible Ukrainian college and university students on J-1 visas who have continuously resided in the United States since August 16, 2023, may carry lighter course loads and work full- or part-time, on or off campus until April 19, 2025. This arrangement was established to ameliorate these students' financial and other hardships due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 209 (Tuesday, October 31, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 31, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74555-74556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24014]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice: 12249]
Exchange Visitor Program
ACTION: Special Student Relief Notification: extension of temporary
waiver and modification of certain regulatory requirements.
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[[Page 74556]]
SUMMARY: In accordance with the General Provisions of the Exchange
Visitor Program regulations, the Assistant Secretary for Educational
and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State extends the waiver
and modification of certain regulatory requirements with respect to a
temporary educational and cultural exchange program established
pursuant to an arrangement between the Government of the United States
and the Government of Ukraine. Under the original arrangement for
Special Student Relief, eligible Ukrainian college and university
students on J-1 visas who have continuously resided in the United
States since April 11, 2022, could carry lighter course loads and work
full- or part- time, on or off campus until October 23, 2023. Under the
modified and extended arrangement, eligible Ukrainian college and
university students on J-1 visas who have continuously resided in the
United States since August 16, 2023, may carry lighter course loads and
work full- or part-time, on or off campus until April 19, 2025. This
arrangement was established to ameliorate these students' financial and
other hardships due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
DATES: The extension and modification of SSR was effective on October
20, 2023 and will now remain in effect until April 19, 2025, unless the
U.S. Government unilaterally ends the arrangement early or the U.S.
Government and the Government of Ukraine together extend its
termination date.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca A. Pasini, Deputy Assistant
Secretary, Directorate of Private Sector Exchange, Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs, at 2200 C Street NW, SA-5,
Washington, DC 20522 or by telephone at (202) 826-4364 or via email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3379764b505b525d5456407340475247561d545c45"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7b313e0318131a151c1e083b080f1a0f1e551c140d">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Assistant Secretary for Educational and
Cultural Affairs extends the waiver and modification of certain
regulatory requirements with respect to a temporary educational and
cultural exchange program established pursuant to an arrangement
between the Government of the United States and the Government of
Ukraine for Special Student Relief (SSR). This arrangement was
initially established through an exchange of notes on June 14 and
August 18, 2022. [The initial terms of the Special Student Relief
program were published in the Federal Register on April 5, 2023 (88 FR
20202-20203).] Consistent with that arrangement, the Assistant
Secretary temporarily waived or modified relevant provisions in 22 CFR
part 62.23, such that eligible Ukrainian college and university
students on J-1 visas to the United States were able to carry lighter
course loads and work full- or part- time, on or off campus, through
October 23, 2023.
Under the modified arrangement with the Government of Ukraine, SSR
is expanded to apply to eligible Ukrainian college and university
students on J-1 visas who have continuously resided in the United
States since at least August 16, 2023, consistent with the extension of
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine. Similarly, under the
extension of the arrangement, SSR is extended to remain in effect until
April 19, 2025.
Under the modified and extended arrangement, the temporary waiver
and modification of relevant portions of 22 CFR part 62.23 will
continue as described in 88 FR 20202-20203, except that eligible
individuals must have continuously resided in the United States since
at least August 16, 2023.
Responsible Officers of academic institutions may authorize SSR for
Ukrainian college and university students in J-1 status if they have
continuously resided in the United States since at least August 16,
2023, and meet the reduced course load requirements set forth in the
Notice at 88 FR 20202. To authorize on-campus or off-campus employment
for these students, Responsible Officers should update the students'
records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
by notating the following text in the ``Remarks'' field: ``Special
Student Relief work authorization granted until April 19, 2025.'' To
authorize a reduced course load due to such employment, Responsible
Officers should also notate the ``Comment'' field in the SEVIS record
with the following text: ``reduced course load authorized.''
Responsible Officers should monitor students at the start of each term
to confirm that students seeking to reduce their course loads intend to
work more than 20 hours a week or that students who availed themselves
of reduced course loads intend to continue to work more than 20 hours a
week.
If the arrangement between the United States and Ukraine is
terminated early or extended again, Responsible Officers should update
the Remarks field accordingly. Exchange visitors participating in SSR
at the time the arrangement ends may continue their current employment
and course load through the end of the academic term during which the
arrangement ends.
Rebecca A. Pasini,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Directorate of Private Sector Exchange,
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2023-24014 Filed 10-30-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P
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