Employment During and After Your Degree Program
J-1 Students
This immigration class is available to students enrolled in a full course of study who are supported substantially by scholarships, grants and sources (other than personal or family funds) at a U.S. institution.
F-1 Students
This immigration class is available only to full-time, enrolled students working toward a degree or certificate or specified course of study at a U.S. institution of higher education.
CURRICULAR PRACTICAL TRAINING (CPT):
CPT allows a student to have a job that is an integral part of an established curriculum for which academic credit is awarded. The employment must be an important component of the student's academic program. Examples include alternate work/study programs, internships, and cooperative education programs. If the primary purpose of the employment is to provide the student with work experience which will enhance his/her professional career, then the student must use optional practical training. NO IMMIGRATION AUTHORIZATION IS REQUIRED for CPT. Students should contact their designated International Student Advisor to schedule an appointment for review and approval of the CPT application.
Restrictions, Application Process, Forms, Q & A
OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (OPT):
OPT may be used prior to, during or after completion of studies. Approval from the US Department of Homeland Security - Citizenship & Immigration Services (USDHS-USCIS) is required for all types of optional practical training.
1. Students are eligible for OPT only after they are in F-1 status and have been studying full-time for at least one academic year. The employment must be directly related to student's field of study.
2. OPT can be used only during the following times:
• When school is not in session, if the student is currently enrolled and intends to register for the next session; or
• While school is in session, provided that OPT, in combination with any other authorized employment, does not exceed twenty hours a week; or
• After completion of all course requirements (but before completion of a course of study), excluding a thesis or the equivalent, if the student is in a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree program; or
• After completion of the course of study:
a. Can be authorized without job offer
b. Student must apply during the period 120 days (OR 90 days for one-year programs) prior to the completion of studies date and cannot apply during the 60-day grace period following the program end date.
c. Student must complete OPT within 14 months of graduation.
3. The maximum total time available for OPT is 12 months of full-time employment.
Restrictions, Application Process, Forms, Q & A
H1B WORK VISA
The H-1B classification is for an employer who wishes to sponsor a professional worker in a “specialty occupation”. A “specialty occupation” means an occupation that requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge considered to be equivalent to the attainment of a U.S. bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent, in a specific field. Jobs which have a minimum hiring requirement of a U.S. bachelor's degree, or foreign equivalent, in a specific field generally qualify for the H-1B classification. The person for whom the employer is filing the H-1B petition must be able to prove s/he meets all the minimum hiring requirements of the position, including the degree(s) in the appropriate field, license, etc., and must prove with an equivalency evaluation that any foreign degree is equivalent to the required U.S. degree. The H-1B can be extended for a total length of six years. It requires an approved Labor Condition application from the Department of Labor (DOL), an approved petition from DHS, and the payment of various fees to DHS.
An individual who holds a masters degree or higher from a US institution of higher education may obtain an H1B visa through any US employer at an annual limit of 20,000 persons. This limit does not apply to the following employers: institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations.
Click here to find out which US employers are currently sponsoring H1B visas.