F1 Student Visa Types of Employment
As a student, finances can be tight, and a job can help. We’ll explain the types of employment available to students with an F1 Visa.
Most international students in the U.S. hold an F1 Visa which allows them to legally work in the country but only at certain types of jobs and under certain restrictions laid out by the USCIS. We’ll explain each type of employment and its restrictions.
Types of Employment
There are five employment categories for F1 Visa students while in the U.S.
On-Campus Work
On-campus work is often the easiest for students to find and the most flexible as your employer (your school) understands that you’re working around a class schedule, and that schedule will change each semester. You can work for up to 20 hours per week while classes are in session and up to full-time during school breaks.
There is a necessary requirement that must be fulfilled. Before you start the job, the DSO must certify that the job won’t displace a non-student U.S. worker meaning the job is typically filled by a student.
Once you are no longer a student, you must leave the on-campus job.
Off-Campus Work Due to Severe Economic Hardship as an F1 Visa Student
Circumstances can change; perhaps the person paying for your education can no longer do so for various reasons. If you can show you’re suffering severe economic hardship due to unforeseen circumstances outside of your control, you may be able to obtain permission to work off-campus.
But if you’ve been a student for less than one year, you will not be able to obtain this permission to work and will have to find other means to cover your expenses.
If you’ve completed at least one full academic year of study and are in good academic standing, and are unable to find suitable on-campus employment, you can apply to the USCIS for a permit that will allow you to work off-campus. Even if you already have an on-campus job, this still applies, and if you can find off-campus work that pays more, this may be a better solution. You are still limited to 20 hours per week when classes are in session and full-time during school breaks.
Curricular Practical Training for F1 Visa Students
Curricular practical training (CPT) is off-campus work integral to your curriculum and directly related to your major. If your major has a program, you can accept one of the related jobs, but not all such work is paid.
CPT is available for students who have completed at least one academic year unless you’re in a graduate program requiring such training participation.
USCIS permission is not required, but your DSO must:
Approve your plan
Report your authorization to do CPT to SEVIS and endorse your SEVIS I-20 to show approval
Your authorization lasts for the duration of your CPT. The authorization dates are printed on your I-20 form. You do not need a work permit card for this type of off-campus employment.
Optional Practical Training for F1 Visa Students
Optional practical training (OPT) is another form of off-campus work that F1 students are eligible for. It doesn’t have to be a part of your school’s academic offerings but does have to be related to your area of study. You do need a work permit card, EAD.
OPT is open to students who have completed one academic year. The maximum you can do is one year of full-time OPT. Part-time employment is allowed before you complete your program and will be deducted from your one-year maximum at one-half the rate. This means if you worked part-time for six months before completing your program, you could do nine months of OPT after completing your program.
You may change employers during your OPT as long as the work at the new employer is related to your major. You can do OPT for 20 hours a week or less, during school breaks or after graduations, as long as the training period is completed within 14 months of graduation.
International Organization Internships for F1 Visa Students
If you’re offered a job with an international organization that qualifies under the International Organizations Immunities Act, you may be eligible to work under your F1 Visa. Typically these organizations are only in Washington, DC, so won’t apply to most students.
Upwardli and You
Your time as a student may be your only time in America, or it may be the start of your lifetime living here! Either way, Upwardli can help you navigate our financial system as an international student. Upwardli can help you find a bank, obtain auto insurance, and find student loans. Whatever you need, Upwardli is here to help!
