[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