Employers

Hiring an F-1 International Student (can be a paid or unpaid internship or job)

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a work authorization that allows F-1 students to accept practical training in their academic field after one year of full-time study. Internship programs are some of the most common types of CPT opportunities for international students. Students can choose to work full or part-time during their internships, depending on the institution’s CPT policy. In some cases, graduate students who are required by their academic program to participate in an internship in the first year do not have to complete one full academic year before they are eligible.

Duration:12 months of full-time CPT eliminates eligibility for OPT. Part-time CPT employment does not affect eligibility for OPT. Note: Graduate students can accept CPT on Day 1 of their full-time study, if required by their program.

Employer Role: Applying for CPT is solely the responsibility of the student and therefore requires no action on the part of the hiring organization. (The employer will issue a letter to confirm the internship offer.)

Student Role: The student must be enrolled in a for-credit course that requires the internship/practicum.  After the student has been offered an internship, he or she submits an online application to the sponsoring school providing the internship start and end dates as well as the organization’s name and complete physical address. The student also needs to provide the job title and a detailed job description. This process is facilitated by the student’s International student services office. In accordance with U.S. immigration regulations, students who engage in part-time or full-time CPT must still be full-time students during the academic year. They do not need to be enrolled full-time during official vacation periods (such as summer).

Cost and Processing Time: There is no cost to the employer. The processing and approval time for CPT is usually within 5-10 working days.  There is no cost to the student, except for tuition/fees for the course in which the student is enrolled.

Hiring an F-1 International Graduate for a Full-Time Internship or Employment — Initial 12 month OPT

Post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) is work authorization that allows F-1 status students who have graduated to gain practical work experience related to their major field of study.

Duration: 12 months for F-1 students (Please note, any approved pre-completion OPT will be deducted from the 12 months OPT period.)

Employer Role: Applying for OPT is solely the responsibility of the student and therefore requires no action on the part of the hiring organization. OPT can be granted to the student with or without an offer of employment.  The employer, however, must issue the student an Employment Offer Letter.

Student Role: Obtaining OPT work authorization is a two-step process. First, the F-1 student submits a request for an OPT recommendation which is processed and approved by an international advisor at the student’s international services office. Second, the F-1 student completes the application for OPT with supporting documentation via the USCIS website, and pays required fee to USCIS to secure OPT work authorization. Once approved, USCIS issues an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card as proof of work authorization for the 12-month period. The fee is $470, which is paid by the student.

Cost and Processing Time: There is no cost to the employer. The USCIS processing time for OPT takes an average of 60 days but can take up to 3-4 months during peak OPT processing season (starting in February each year); therefore, students are encouraged to apply as early as 90 days prior to graduation. The student must have the EAD card in hand before they are allowed to start work.

Hiring an F-1 STEM Graduate for Practical Training—24 Month STEM OPT

An additional 24 months of OPT work authorization (for a total of 36 months) allows F-1 student status holders who have graduated with an approved degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) to gain extra practical work experience related to their STEM field.

Go to the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List  to see the eligible STEM fields.

Duration: 24 months for F-1 graduates

Employer Role:

• Be enrolled and in good-standing with E-Verify.
• Prepare and implement a form I-983 Training Plan for STEM OPT Students to support the student’s academic learning through practical experience. The form I-983 Training Plan for STEM OPT Students is signed by both the employer and student and submitted to the international student services office for approval. A report of the student’s progress is submitted to the student’s international student services office mid-way and at the end of the 24-month program.
• Report termination of employment to the student’s international student services office within 5 business days.
• Be prepared for a government agent worksite visit to verify STEM OPT program requirements are being met.
• Provide an employment opportunity similar to U.S. workers in duties, hours, and compensation. Attest that:
  • The company has enough resources and trained personnel available to appropriately train the student;
• The student will not replace a full- or part-time, temporary or permanent U.S. worker; and
• Help the student attain his or her training objectives.

Student Role: The student submits the completed I-983 training plan as part of their STEM OPT request to the international student services office, which processes the STEM OPT recommendation for the student. The F-1 student completes the application for STEM OPT Extension with supporting documentation via the USCIS website, and pays required fee to USCIS to secure OPT work authorization. Once approved, USCIS issues an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card as proof of work authorization for the 12-month period. The fee is $470, which is paid by the student.

Cost and Processing Time: There is no cost to the employer. The international student services office processes the student’s STEM OPT recommendation within a few working days. The USCIS processing time for STEM OPT takes an average of up to 3-4 months, with some cases taking 5-6 months. The STEM OPT Extension must be filed prior to the expiration of the initial OPT period. If students file their STEM OPT extension applications on time and their OPT period expires while their extension application is pending, their work authorization is automatically extended for 180 days. (USCIS does not have to do anything, the regulations allow for the automatic extension of the work authorization if the student timely files their STEM OPT application.)

For employers wishing to hire a J-1 status holder, there is no fee involved or action to be taken, except that they need to issue an Employment Offer Letter. The J-1 student simply obtains authorization from his/her program sponsor to work for up to a total of 18 months. PhD. students can work for up to 36 months. It is the sole responsibility of the student to complete the application process with the program sponsor and approval is generally granted within 5-10 working days. The work must be directly related to the academic degree program and is certified by the academic institution’s J-1 responsible officer.