Do’s and Don’ts for F1 OPT Visa Students to Maintain Immigration Status

General Guidelines for F1 OPT Visa Students

Under the F1 OPT visa status, you will need to strictly comply with the 90 days unemployment provision, which means that if you fail to find a job within 90 days of the start of your OPT, you will have to prepare for your departure from the U.S or apply for the change of status. Once you receive your F1 OPT visa status, see the start date on your Employment Authorization Document (EAD). If you didn’t receive your EAD after 75 days of applying for an F1 OPT visa, consider contacting USCIS and requesting to expedite your case.

Below are the guidelines for F1 OPT visa students:

• When you are on F1 OPT visa status, you must ensure that each job you take is related to your field of study. If your job title doesn’t match your degree, you will need a letter from a supervisor on letterhead outlining your work and explaining how it is related to your job.
• You must work at least 20 hours per week during school and 40 hours per week during post-completion OPT.
• Report all the periods of unemployment, employment, or changes in jobs to your DSO within 10 days of such change.
• Do not exceed 90 days of unemployment.

If you want to apply for STEM OPT Extensions, follow the timeline given below:

STEM OPT Extension

STEM OPT Extension helps students to gain an additional 24 months of work experience, resulting in a total F1 OPT visa duration of 36 months in the U.S. Students can avail of the benefits of STEM Extension only if they meet the following conditions:

• The student is on a valid post-completion F1 OPT visa period and has maintained a valid F-1 status;
• Have earned a bachelor’s, master’s or Ph.D. degree in an eligible STEM field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics from a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school;
• The student is employed for at least 20 hours/week in a paid job that is directly related to their field of study; and
• He/she is working for an employer that is enrolled in the government’s E-Verify employment verification program;
• Have not exceeded 90 days of unemployment during their post-completion OPT period and will not exceed that limit before the start date of STEM OPT Extension.

The students who receive STEM OPT Extension are allowed to have an additional 60 days of unemployment for a total of 150 days over the entire period of their post-completion OPT.

How to apply for STEM OPT Extension?

To apply for the STEM OPT Extension, you need to file the following documents:

• Form I-983 (Training Plan for STEM Students)- Before applying to USCIS, students, and their employers, must download, complete, sign, & submit the Form I-983 to the student’s Designated School Officials.
• Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization)- Submit Form I-765 with the prescribed application fee, your employer’s name, Company Identification Number, or Client Company Identification Number as listed in E-Verify.
• Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant Student Status)- Submit Form I-20, as endorsed by your DSO, within the last 60 days.
• Lastly, provide a copy of your STEM degree.

Do’s for F1 OPT Visa Students

Here are the essential measures every OPT student should take to maintain their immigration status:

• Update your employment history & report the changes in employment, like acceptance of a new job offer to ISS within 10 days during your STEM OPT Extension. 
• If you switch your job during STEM OPT Extension or more employers employ you, then each employer needs to complete and submit a new Form I-983.

• Work for at least 20 hours per week in a job or jobs which are directly related to your field of study. Also, ensure that each employer you work for is E-verified.
• You must prove how your employment is directly related to your degree.
• Use your F1 OPT visa period to find an employer who is willing to sponsor you for an H-1B visa or some other visa. 
• Become technically proficient and harness plenty of job opportunities to avoid running out of the permitted unemployment period.

Don’ts for F1 OPT Visa Students

Here are a few things which you should avoid doing during the F1 OPT visa period:

• Do not exceed the allotted 150 days of unemployment time during the entire 36 months of the F1 OPT visa period. Traveling outside the United States during STEM extension will be counted as unemployment unless the travel was during an official leave from your job or it was work-related.
• Don’t work for an employer without informing your school during Pre-completion OPT.
• Never work in an off-campus job while on an F1 OPT visa.
• Never work in a position not directly related to your field of study.
• Do not work for an employer who is not E-Verified while you are working on your OPT STEM Extension.

Tips to avoid going out of F1 OPT visa status

Now you must have understood that the most essential factor in maintaining your F1 OPT visa & OPT STEM Extension is to remain employed. Students often find it difficult to sustain a steady position in the market and keep going out for interviews without preparation. It can lead to a problem as many companies use applicant tracking software, so they can easily monitor your previous activities and can keep a count of the number of times your application has been rejected & will avoid hiring you. Thus, ultimately your application will get blacklisted, and you will lose your F1 OPT visa status.

Companies reject several degree holders due to lacking necessary tech skills, knowledge, and real-time practical experience. So, what steps can you take to prevent slipping into such a situation? Here are some tips that can help you in getting a stable job:

• Get the right technical training before going for any interview– Companies are looking for skilled candidates with real-world experience in the latest technologies. So, you should take proper training before appearing for an interview.
• Take assistance from a trusted staffing consultancy- Reach out to an experienced consultancy with a good marketing team that can help you prepare well for the interviews.
• Acquire tech skills- In order to stand out and survive in the cutting-throat competition, you need to accommodate the market trends. When you learn in-demand technologies like Java, Python, AWS, MERN Stack, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence, you will increase your scope of getting a high-paying job.

Conclusion

The students have to undergo a lengthy procedure to get an F1 OPT visa status, but the real challenge is maintaining that status by following the dos and don’ts prescribed by USCIS. Keeping yourself employed is a crucial factor in maintaining the F1 OPT visa status. One can achieve a stable employment level by acquiring the skills in demand.

You can unlock a variety of career-advancement opportunities by learning advanced technologies. Since the technical sphere is flooded with jobs, you will never go short on employment options, thus, remain employed and shall be able to maintain your F1 OPT visa status. A reliable option for you could be enrolling in our technology upskill programs; we train various F1 OPT visa students in robust technologies and also provide them with job assistance. 

Anytime you want to upgrade your skills and need a helping hand to enter or re-enter the tech workforce with high-demand tech skills, reach out to us. Since 2010 we have helped 1000’s of jobseekers achieve success in the technology sector, making our Candidate Success Outcome the best in the industry. SynergisticIT’s career-oriented training programs guarantee fast-paced, quality tech education, preparing you with top-notch skills for coveted tech roles in the industry. Reach out to us. SynergisticIT– Home of the Best Data Scientists and Software Programmers in the Bay Area!