Everything You Need To Know About OPT Career Prospects for F1 Students

Introduction

Every year, a number of overseas students enroll in universities and colleges around the United States. During the duration of their F1 visa, individuals are permitted to work both on and off campus. Once students graduate, they are entitled to work on an internship with an employer in USA. They are on jobs for OPT students. Optional Practical Training is a temporary work that an international has completed as part of the graduation programme and is related to the F-1 student's major field of study. Eligible students can apply for a 12-month period before or after completing their academic courses. However, all pre-completion OPT periods will be deducted from the remaining post-completion OPT period.

How Can I Locate an OPT Job?

Every year, a large number of international students attend institutions in USA to pursue their dreams of establishing a professional career in a land of limitless chances. But today everyone is aware of what it takes to make a day in the United States. Some students are aware of the numerous possibilities accessible on the job search, while others learn about them during their job hunt. Some of the basic job search options related to the F1 visa are:

•    Online Job Portals

•    Seniors and alumni share their experiences.

•    Recommendations from your lecturers

•    University placement department

•    Seek guidance from friends and family who work in the field, as well as employment agencies and career counselling services.

OPT and Its Types

Pre-completion OPT: Once a foreign student has been properly enrolled on a full-time basis for one full academic year at a college, university, conservatory, or seminary, they are allowed to work on entry level OPT jobs in the context of pre-completion. In order to enroll F-1 students, this institution must be certified by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Student and Exchange Visitor Programme.

Post-completion OPT: You are also entitled to apply for post-completion OPT after finishing your education. If you are eligible for post-completion OPT, you are permitted to work 20 hours per week or full-time.

If you have completed pre-completion OPT, USCIS will deduct that time from your post-completion OPT permit period. For example, if you completed 9 months of pre-completion OPT, you would only be eligible for 3 months of post-completion OPT.

Application for OPT- How to?

The OPT job application procedure begins when you request that your designated school official at your institution or university propose an OPT for you. Your DSO will make the recommendation by approving your Form I-20, Certification of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant Student Status, and placing the relevant notation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System.

After that, send your Form I-765 for Employment Authorization Document to USCIS. Along with sending the prescribed fees and other supporting papers as specified in the form.

STEM OPT Extension

The OPT students having a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, you are entitled to apply for the 24-month extension after completing 12 months of post-completion OPT. This is only possible if you are an F-1 student with a STEM degree from a programme on the STEM Designated Degree Programme List (PDF), work for an employer that is enrolled in and uses E-Verify, and have received an initial grant of post-completion of jobs for OPT students authorization based on your STEM degree. On completion of OPT, one can apply for H-1B transfer positions in USA. However, one needs follow the steps outlined below to accomplish so:

To apply for an H1B visa, you must first obtain a job offer from an H1B sponsoring business, whether you are applying directly from F1 status or through OPT. To effectively get an H1B visa for the following fiscal year, you must submit your petition on time. After receiving an employment offer from the employer supporting you, they must file your H1B visa petition as a 'Change of Status' on your behalf before the deadline. If your H1B visa petition is approved, you will obtain H1B status. You may begin working on an H1B visa on October 1, as authorised by USCIS. If one has previously submitted an H-1B petition and the status is pending, one should continue working on F-1 status until the H-1B is approved. Once the H-1B is authorised, the F1 status is no longer valid.