[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 112 (Friday, June 10, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 33993-33994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14499]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
22 CFR Part 62
[Public Notice 7500]
RIN 1400-ZA20
Exchange Visitor Program
AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Notice of suspension of applicability of certain requirements.
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SUMMARY: The Department is temporarily suspending the application of
certain requirements governing program status and on-campus and off-
campus employment for J-1 Libyan students. This action is necessary to
mitigate the adverse impact upon these students due to political
turmoil in their home country.
DATES: This action is effective June 10, 2011, and will remain in
effect until December 31, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Deaner, Senior Advisor, Private
Sector Exchange, 2200 C Street NW., SA-5, 5th Floor, Washington, DC
20522; e-mail [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Recent political turmoil in Libya has
affected Exchange Visitor Program college and university students
studying in the United States. Many of the students dependent upon
financial support originating in their home country have found
themselves without funds. To ameliorate the hardship arising from this
lack of financial support and facilitate these students' continued
studies, the Department is suspending the application of the full
course of study requirement set forth at 22 CFR 62.23(e), the
application of the requirements governing student employment set forth
at 22 CFR 62.23(g), and the application of the duration of
participation requirements set forth at 22 CFR 62.23(h) effective June
10, 2011 until December 31, 2011. The temporary suspension of certain
requirements governing program status and on-campus and off-campus
employment for J-1 Libyan students does not apply to Federal Work-Study
jobs.
College and university students in J-1 status whose means of
financial support come from Libya and whose financial support has been
disrupted, reduced, or eliminated due to turmoil in their home country
may be authorized by the Responsible Officer of their academic
institution to pursue full-time or part-time on-campus or off-campus
employment. A reduction in the students' academic course load may also
be necessary due to this employment and accordingly, such students will
be deemed to be in valid J-1 Exchange Visitor Program student status if
they are (i) an undergraduate student and enrolled for not less than
six semester hours of academic credit or its recognized equivalent;
(ii) a graduate student enrolled for not less than three hours of
academic credit or its recognized equivalent; (iii) a non-degree
student actively participating on not less than a half-time equivalent
basis in the prescribed course of study for which the student was
initially authorized J-1 student status; or (iv) a non-degree student
actively pursuing English language instruction on not less than a half-
time equivalent basis.
Responsible officers who authorize on-campus or off-campus
employment for these students should update the
[[Page 33994]]
students' SEVIS record by notating in the remarks box of their
electronic record: ``Special Student Relief work authorization granted
until December 31, 2011.'' If a reduced course load is also authorized
due to employment, the responsible officer should also record this fact
in the SEVIS record comment box as: ``reduced course load authorized.''
The Department's suspension of the application of the requirements
set forth in 22 CFR 62.23(e), 22 CFR 62.23(g) and 22 CFR 62.23(h) for
these identified students will remain in effect until December 31,
2011.
Dated: June 6, 2011.
Joseph A. Ereli,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-14499 Filed 6-9-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P