Savanna Hoffman
International students with an F-1 visa have strict regulations regarding employment in the United States. F-1 students are eligible to work on-campus, but off-campus employment is heavily restricted and requires authorization. Students must meet eligibility requirements and obtain official work authorization before beginning off-campus employment. There are a few options for off-campus work authorization, including Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT), and Severe Economic Hardship Employment. CPT is a type of employment that trains students in their field of study and can include internships, cooperative education jobs, or other experiences related to their major. OPT allows students to work in areas related to their major for up to one year before or after graduation. To maintain their F-1 status and avoid legal consequences, international students must carefully navigate these regulations when seeking employment opportunities in the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| F-1 student status | Allowed to work on-campus for up to 20 hours per week during the school term and full-time during breaks. |
| Cannot work off-campus during the first academic year without meeting eligibility requirements and obtaining official authorization. | |
| May engage in three types of off-campus employment after the first academic year: Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Severe Economic Hardship Employment, and Optional Practical Training (OPT). | |
| OPT | Requires authorization from USCIS and has an application process and fee. |
| CPT | Requires authorization from the International Student Office and can only be done with a specific employer for specific dates. |
| Severe Economic Hardship Employment | Available to students who have completed at least one academic year and can demonstrate severe economic hardship beyond their control, with insufficient on-campus employment opportunities. |
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What You'll Learn
F-1 students can work off-campus without OPT under CPT
To be eligible for CPT, students must be able to explain how the employment is curricular and integral to their established course curriculum. CPT can be authorized for part-time or full-time work, but students must maintain a full course of study even when CPT is authorized for full-time work. F-1 students can work on-campus without OPT, but they must still work with a DSO to ensure the job qualifies as on-campus employment. On-campus employment is defined as work that takes place at the school location or an educationally affiliated off-campus location.
While F-1 students can work off-campus without OPT under CPT, there are some restrictions. For example, students who engage in full-time CPT for 12 months or more will lose their OPT benefit when they graduate. Additionally, CPT authorization is only required when the training takes place inside the United States. If an F-1 student is considering a summer internship in their home country, for instance, they do not need CPT authorization.
F-1 students must also be aware that they may only work on-campus after the program end date if they are continuing their education at the next program level at the same school. Their total work hours for all jobs cannot exceed 20 hours during the school term, but they may work full-time during breaks and summer vacations. After graduation, F-1 students may be eligible to apply for post-completion OPT to continue working, but they must do so within the 60-day "grace" period.
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CPT is Curricular Practical Training
International students with an F-1 visa have strict rules regarding their ability to work in the United States. F-1 students may work on-campus, but they must continue their education at the next program level at the same school. They may also only work a maximum of 20 hours per week during the school term and can work full-time during school breaks.
F-1 students may not work off-campus during their first academic year. After their first academic year, they may engage in three types of off-campus employment: Curricular Practical Training (CPT), post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), and STEM OPT. CPT is a type of temporary work that can be done on or off-campus and must be directly related to the student's major area of study. It can be done part-time (20 hours per week) during the academic year and full-time during breaks and summer vacation. CPT must be authorized by a Designated School Official (DSO) and the student must maintain a full course of study while doing CPT. The CPT authorization requires the employer's name and address, the start and end date of the training, and an explanation of how the training is an integral part of the curriculum. Students who engage in full-time CPT for 12 months or more will lose their OPT benefit when they graduate.
OPT is a type of off-campus employment authorization that is available to F-1 students after graduation. The authorization for OPT is provided by USCIS, and there is an application process and a fee. OPT authorization ends one year after issuance or upon completion of the program, whichever comes first. Students can continue working on an expired OPT while their 24-month extension petition is pending if they meet certain conditions.
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CPT can be a paid or unpaid internship
International students on an F-1 visa have the option to undertake Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to gain off-campus work experience. CPT is a type of temporary work that is directly related to the student's major area of study. It can be a paid or unpaid internship, and prior approval is required.
If you are an international student seeking an unpaid internship, it is strongly recommended that you seek CPT authorization. This is because the US Department of Labor has specific criteria for what constitutes an unpaid internship. For example, the experience must be an extension of the classroom, providing an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in a learning environment. It should not be work that a regular employee would do, and the skills learned must be transferable to other employment settings.
In some cases, students may be able to use Optional Practical Training (OPT) for unpaid internships. OPT is authorized by USCIS, and there is an application process that includes a fee. It is important to note that engaging in full-time CPT for 12 months or more will result in the loss of OPT benefits upon graduation.
To apply for CPT, students must submit an application with an official job offer letter to their university's International Student Services (ISS) office. Once approved, students must apply for a Social Security Number if they do not already have one. It is essential to consult with an ISS advisor before accepting an unpaid internship position, as failing to seek practical training authorization could result in ineligibility for future visas.
CPT is a valuable opportunity for international students to gain practical work experience and build their professional skills while pursuing their academic program.
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Students must meet eligibility requirements and obtain official authorization to work off-campus
International students with an F-1 visa have strict rules regarding their ability to work in the United States. Students with an F-1 visa in valid status may work on campus at the school they are authorised to attend. However, they cannot be employed off-campus without meeting certain eligibility requirements and obtaining official authorization before engaging in off-campus work.
To be eligible to work off-campus, F-1 students must have been enrolled for at least one academic year and have an active F-1 student status. Students must also show an ability to afford the costs of school and living expenses before entering the United States and should not plan to work off-campus. The only reasons for granting work authorization for off-campus employment are economic hardship or emergent circumstances. Emergent circumstances are defined as world events that affect a specific group of F-1 students and cause them to suffer severe economic hardship, including natural disasters, wars, military conflicts, and international financial crises.
There are three types of off-campus employment that F-1 students can engage in after their first academic year: Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Severe Economic Hardship Employment, and Optional Practical Training (OPT). CPT is a type of temporary work that is directly related to the student's major area of study and can be completed on or off-campus. To qualify, the work experience must be required for the student's degree or academic credit must be awarded. Prior authorization by the school's International Student Office and notification to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is required. OPT is work authorization that allows students to work in areas related to their major for up to one year either before or after graduation. Students must apply for OPT authorization and can only work for a specific employer and for specific dates authorized. USCIS will only authorize off-campus employment in cases of severe economic hardship occurring after a student's enrollment in an academic program and after the student has been in F-1 status for at least one full academic year.
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OPT is Optional Practical Training
International students with an F-1 visa are permitted to work on-campus without obtaining written authorization. However, there are stricter rules regarding off-campus employment. F-1 students may not work off-campus during their first academic year. After the first academic year, F-1 students may engage in three types of off-campus employment, one of which is Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT is a type of temporary employment directly related to an F-1 student's major area of study. Students can apply to receive up to 12 months of OPT employment authorization before or after completing their academic studies. However, all periods of pre-completion OPT will be deducted from the available period of post-completion OPT.
Students can file for OPT up to 90 days before the program end date and no later than 60 days after the program end date. Students cannot begin work on OPT until they receive their EAD work card, and the validity period has begun. The OPT application process involves several steps and players, and it can take up to 90 days for approval. The student must work with a Designated School Official (DSO) to ensure the job qualifies as OPT, and the DSO must make the OPT recommendation by endorsing the student's Form I-20. The student must then properly file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with USCIS, accompanied by the required fee and supporting documentation.
It is important to note that students who engage in full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for 12 months or more will lose their OPT benefit when they graduate. Additionally, students who have received a year of full-time pre-completion OPT will have their total time of full-time OPT reduced by a year. Students who have received a year of part-time pre-completion OPT will have their total time of full-time OPT reduced by six months. In two instances, it may be possible to extend the period of OPT. Firstly, if the student holds a STEM degree and is hired by an employer enrolled in the E-Verify government program, they may be eligible for a 24-month STEM OPT extension. Secondly, if the student has a filed and pending H-1B petition, the extension of status and work authorization is automatic.
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Frequently asked questions
International students with an F-1 visa cannot be employed off-campus without meeting eligibility requirements and obtaining official authorization.
OPT stands for Optional Practical Training, which is a type of off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students.
You can get OPT authorization by applying through USCIS with the help of your International Student Counselor. It can take up to 90 days for approval, so plan ahead.
Yes, OPT employment is restricted to a specific employer and specific dates authorized. Students who engage in full-time CPT for 12 months or more will lose their OPT benefit when they graduate.
Yes, one alternative is Curricular Practical Training (CPT), which is off-campus employment that is an integral part of the established curriculum or academic program. CPT employment includes internships, cooperative education, or other required practical work related to your major.
