Hiring Authority for College Graduates

In February 2026, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) finalized a regulation that the Biden administration had proposed in 2021 but had not issued as a final regulation. The regulation implements a law Congress enacted to allow the federal government to employ recent college graduates for competitive service jobs without complying with the ordinary laws applicable to federal hiring. OPM's final regulation explained who would be eligible for this hiring program: "College graduates may apply at any time between completion of degree requirements and up to two years after the degree has been completed. Additionally, agencies may choose to accept applications from individuals who anticipate completing their degree in the near future." The time period would be extended for applicants who were subject to a military service obligation upon graduating. For its final regulation, OPM removed a provision in the proposed regulation that would have required it to provide Congress with reports regarding the numbers of employees hired or fired under this program. In responding to one comment, it also confirmed that it would not take veteran's preference into account in this hiring process.