F-1 International students- CPT/OPT and STEM OPT

2 years ago I wrote an article on the problems of taking Day 1 CPT and thought it was time to revisit this issue. Click here to see my previous article. At the time of writing my previous article, USCIS was taking a very firm stand on Day 1 CPT cases.  In fact, students applying...

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On Monday, July 6, 2020 SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program (a division of ICE) announced that students taking a full online course load in the fall semester are not allowed to remain in the US. This new rule was a departure from a previous exemption announced in March 2020, allowing students to study online...

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There are a number of potential employment options for International students on an F-1 student visa to gain work experience that is directly related to their field of study. On-campus employment On-campus employment is permitted once classes have started provided it is on the school’s premises or at an off-campus location that is educationally affiliated...

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Filing for H-1B change of status while working as F-1 student under Curricular Practical Training (CPT) The regulations allow international student visa holders (F-1 students) to participate in practical training and accept employment while still under F-1 status if the F-1 students have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis in a qualified educational institution...

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Recently I have found myself regularly consulting with clients on the pros and cons of taking day 1 CPT to enable a student to continue working. The typical scenario is when a student has exhausted their OPT/STEM OPT options and wants to continue working for the same employer. There are a handful of Universities offering...

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