Frequently Asked Questions While On OPT

Post-Completion OPT

Any employment you engage in while on OPT must be directly related to your major of study. Employment that is not directly related to the major area of study would be considered a status violation. It is your responsibility to ensure that any employment you engage in while on OPT meets this requirement and is reported to our office. Any unreported employment would also be considered violation of your F-1 status.

Most types of employment are allowed for OPT, including:

• Regular paid employment.
• Payment by multiple short-term employers.
• Work for hire (a service based on a contractual relationship).
• Self-employed business owner.
• Employment through an agency.
• Volunteers or unpaid interns (REMEMBER THIS OPTION!)
  • Unpaid employment is considered employment on OPT, as long as the unpaid employment is directly related to the academic major listed on the student’s I-20 and employment is for at least 20 hours per week. However, please keep in mind that volunteering to do work that other individuals normally get paid to do may be a violation of labor laws. If in doubt, please consult an ISSS advisor.

STEM OPT Extension

STEM OPT employment is much more limited than Post-Completion OPT, so be sure your employment meets the following criteria:

• It’s a paid position (at least minimum wage, which varies by state)
  • Students on their STEM OPT authorization cannot use volunteer or unpaid internships as their STEM OPT employment.
• Your employer must be enrolled in e-Verify
• You are working at least 20 hours per week
  • Multiple employers are allowed, but each one must be 20 hours per week and you must have an I-983 on file with ISSS for each employer.
• You are working in a bona fide employer-employee relationship
  • Self-employment is not allowed

Post-Completion OPT

Employers do not need to be involved in the OPT Reporting process during your Post-Completion authorization. However, if you are eligible for the STEM OPT Extension and plan to apply, you will want to make sure your employer is a participant in the eVerify program or is willing to become a participant before you need to apply for your Extension.

STEM OPT Extension

• Your employer must be enrolled and in good standing with E-Verify
• Your employer must work with you to complete and certify Section 3 of the Form I-983 before you apply for the OPT STEM extension
• Your employer must review and sign your 12-month self-evaluation and your final evaluation before you submit them to ISSS
• Your employer must work with you to report any material changes to your formal training plan by submitting a new Form I-983 to ISSS
• If you lose your job, your employer must report the loss of employment to ISSS within 10 days
• Your employer must provide you with a training opportunity that is commensurate with those of similarly situated U.S. workers in duties, hours, and compensation. Please encourage your employer to view the employer section of the Study in the States OPT STEM Hub.

OPT authorization begins on the employment start date shown on your EAD card. Students may not be unemployed for more than the following allowances:

• Post-Completion OPT: 90 Days
• STEM Extension OPT: 60 Days
  • Any days of unemployment remaining from Post-Completion OPT can be used during a student’s STEM Extension OPT authorization for a total of 150 days of unemployment.

Failure to report or gain employment will result in the termination of your immigration record by DHS which will require that you depart the United States immediately. Termination of your record does not come with a grace period.

If you choose not to use your OPT authorization and have returned home, please complete a Departure eForm and mention in the notes that you no longer plan to use your OPT.

Note: During periods of unemployment, weekends do count toward the 90 or 60 day unemployment limit. Weekends are not counted toward the 90 or 60 day unemployment limit for students who are employed throughout the week.

The CSU Career Center is an excellent place to start when trying to find employment. They provide helpful resources and one-on-one consultations virtually, in person, or by email! These consultations may include resume and cover letter critique, job search strategies, career assessments, mock interviews, mock salary negotiation, and so much more!

You must submit an OPT Reporting eForm to ISSS within 10 days of any changes to your employer, address (mailing or email), or name.

If you are on STEM OPT, you must also submit an OPT Reporting eForm every six months to verify your name, address, employer name and address, and current status of employment. At 12 and 24 months, a self-evaluation must be included with your OPT Reporting eForm.

Please review the information provided on the OPT Reporting webpage regarding your OPT Reporting requirements.

An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is used to identify businesses for tax purposes. It is a 9-digit number in the format 00-0000000. ISSS is required to include your employer’s EIN when we report your employment in the SEVIS system. Your employer will need to provide you with the number.

There are a few steps to OPT reporting when you change employers while on STEM OPT. You will need to submit the following:

• Updated OPT Reporting eForm
• A Final Self-Evaluation (bottom portion of page 5 of the I-983 form) signed by your previous supervisor
• A new I-983 (pages 1-4) for your new employer

If your STEM OPT Extension application is still pending and you need to change employers, please submit the above requirements and email our office to let us know your STEM extension is still pending. We will issue you an updated I-20 so that you can upload it as “Unsolicited Evidence” in your USCIS account.

Please upload a copy of your H-1B application’s receipt, approval, or denial notice to your next OPT Reporting eForm.

• Please Note: A receipt notice does not mean that your H-1B application has been approved, rather it is a notice to let you know that they have received your application materials.

If your H-1B visa application is approved, please be sure to submit a copy of your approval notice to our office so that we can provide you with the next steps for completing your F-1 immigration record. Emails are sent to all students currently on OPT providing specific instructions throughout the application process, typically between April 1st – October 1st of each year.

You must continue to maintain your F-1 immigration record until your H-1B status start date. This includes submitting any necessary OPT reports, providing STEM OPT evaluations, maintaining employment, etc.

The ISSS team is unable to provide any advising regarding your H-1B application and visa. Please direct any questions you might have to the attorney or person who helped you file your application.

If your H-1B application was picked in the application lottery and your OPT authorization will expire before October 1st, you are likely eligible for a cap-gap extension. This extension allows you to continue working while your H-1B application is being reviewed by USCIS.

ISSS can print an updated I-20 to reflect the cap-gap extension upon request. You will need to supply us with a copy of your receipt notice. The new I-20 will reflect that your F-1 status and employment eligibility have automatically been extended through 09/30/yyyy.

A cap-gap I-20 may be required if you are applying for a benefit such as a driver’s license.

Note: You are required to continue submitting an OPT Reporting eForm to ISSS every 3 months, or within 10 days of any changes, throughout your cap-gap extension.

You can travel outside of the United States while using your OPT benefit. ISSS recommends that you do not travel outside of the United States while your application is pending or if you do not have an employment letter or your EAD Card. After your OPT has been approved and you have started working, you should take the following documents if you plan to travel outside of the United States:

• Passport valid at least 6 months into the future
• Unexpired, multiple-entry Visa
• Valid EAD card
• Valid I-20 with:
  • OPT listed as “Approved”
  • A travel signature less than 6 months old
• Recommended: A letter of employment from your employer

Before you leave the U.S., you should check with ISSS to make sure your SEVIS record has been updated with your most recent OPT reporting information. We recommend getting a new I-20 from us that shows your OPT has been approved on the second page of your document, if you don’t have one already. Some students have had problems upon re-entry if they are carrying an I-20 that only shows the OPT recommendation.

Please be sure you have submitted your required OPT reports to ensure that your immigration record is as accurate as possible before you travel.

Please note: ISSS is closed around December holidays. If you will be traveling around this time, please request your I-20 at least 3 weeks before December 25^th.

If you need your password reset, please use the SEVP Portal’s “Forgot Password” link and follow the prompts.

If you are unable to access the SEVP Portal due to it being locked, please email our office at [email protected] and we will reset your portal account.

Yes, please upload a copy of your EAD card to your next OPT Reporting eForm.

Students who have earned a degree in a program of study in certain Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics majors are eligible for an additional 24 months of OPT. Consult the STEM list to determine if you are eligible.

You can apply for the STEM extension up to 90 days before the expiration date of your post-completion OPT.

Your application for the STEM extension must be received by USCIS prior to the expiration date of your post-completion OPT.

As long as your 24-month STEM extension application is received by USCIS prior the expiration date of your post-completion OPT, you can continue working for up to 180 days while your STEM extension application is pending.

Please Note: You may not be permitted to renew your driver’s license while your OPT STEM extension is pending, so consider applying as early as possible if your license will expire when your OPT expires.

You can see the validity dates of your OPT authorization on your EAD card.

Standard Post-Completion OPT is granted for up to 12 months at a time.

The 24-month STEM extension period begins on the day after the expiration of the initial post-completion OPT employment authorization and ends 24 months thereafter, regardless of the date the actual extension is approved. A student who has applied for a STEM extension can continue working for up to 180 days beyond the expiration of the prior Post-Completion OPT EAD while the STEM Extension is pending.

Note: Employment must conform to STEM conditions during this interim extension period, including the requirement that the student work only for an e-Verify employer.