AFM Fights DHS Restrictions on Student Musician Visas

October 1, 2026

Ben Kessler  -  Ben Kessler, AFM Director of Government Affairs

On September 10, AFM International President Tino Gagliardi sent the following message to all AFM members:

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued new guidance that limits F-1 visa international students Curricular Practical Training (CPT) eligibility. As you may know, many of our employers make use of CPT to hire individuals in the United States on an F-1 visa.

DHS has stated it will honor previously approved CPT agreements. Moving forward, however, DHS will only authorize CPT when practical training is a required component of a student’s degree program for all students in a major. Internships, research, work/study, service learning, or other arrangements not required of all students in a major are no longer eligible for CPT.

Each type of training has different rules, so always check with the designated school official with questions.

It is important for the AFM to understand the ramifications for our members. We want to hear from you. If these changes are affecting your workplace, please email me at bkessler@afm.org.

Most importantly, if you did not receive this update, please make sure we have your current email address and check if union emails are ending up in your spam folder. We want to make sure we can reach you effectively. I know that Gagliardi’s message reached many of you, because within minutes, my own inbox was struggling to keep up with responses. I heard from musicians from across both the United States and Canada. The responses detailed chaos and cruelty.

This issue serves as a reminder that we are two countries and one union. Despite the circumstances, I was glad to hear from so many AFM members. The harms are not unique to any one community or region. I received heartfelt accounts from people in large metropolitan areas and small cities and towns. These disruptions seemingly defied all boundaries and borders. Understanding the persistence of this problem is also a reminder of the solution.

We are not in this alone. Conservatories, colleges, and universities are the parties responsible when someone runs afoul of the DHS guidance. If there is a target of this change, those institutions are in the figurative crosshairs. We must work closely with these institutions to ensure our efforts are complementary. This approach is no different from so many of our policy priorities. Creating a big tent and speaking with one voice is essential to our success.

The AFM will work to make sure musicians and educational institutions have the information they need to create safe environments for students in the United States on F-1 visas. By the time this issue reaches you, the AFL-CIO will have already hosted an International Student Worker Town Hall on September 28.

During times of upheaval, there is often a tendency toward fight or flight. In this instance, I am hopeful that when we bring the North American labor movement together with the arts community and the educational establishment, we can do what’s right for AFM members and all working people in the United States and Canada.

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