報告顯示 留美實習的中國學生的人數有所上升

The number of Chinese students taking advantage of an Optional Practical Training (OPT) program in the US has seen growth for seven straight years, according to a report released last Tuesday.

上週二發佈的一份報告顯示，利用美國選擇性實習訓練（OPT）項目的中國學生數量已連續7年增長。

The OPT programs allow graduates to work in the field of their major area of study for a year in most cases.

多數情況下，OPT項目允許畢業生在其所學專業領域工作一年。

The number of Chinese graduates in such programs reached nearly 60,000 in the 2016-17 academic year, an increase of 14.6% from the previous year and more than five times the figure in the 2009-10 academic year, according to the 2017 Open Doors report by the Institute for International Education.

根據國際教育協會發布的《2017年門戶開放報告》，2016-17學年，參加OPT項目的中國畢業生人數近6萬，較上年增長14.6%，是2009-10學年的數字的5倍多。

OPT is a transitional period in which international students may be able to change from the status of student to employee.

OPT是國際學生有可能將學生身份轉換爲工作身份的過渡階段。

The large number of OPT students reflects the value students see in acquiring work experience after graduation, which makes them more competitive in the job market, said Pauline Kao, a public affairs officer at the US consulate in Shanghai.

美國駐上海領事館新聞文化處官員高葆玲表示，OPT學生人數之多反映出留學生認識到在畢業後獲得工作經驗的價值：使他們在就業市場更具競爭力。

The Open Doors report also showed that China remains the leading place of origin for students going to the US for the eighth year, comprising 32.5% of all international students studying in the country. In the 2016-17 academic year, 350,755 students from China were studying in the US.

該報告還顯示，中國連續第八年蟬聯最大的留美學生生源國，中國留學生佔在美就讀國際學生總數的32.5%。2016-17學年，在美就讀的中國學生人數達350755人。