The Basic Things That All Opt Students Usa Must Understand

By Author: Sansda Mark
Total Articles: 28
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OPT is provisional work authorization that permits F-1 scholars to gain practical training in their area of studies. It is important to realize that the work should be directly associated to what the scholar has studied till now. A student who received a bachelor's degree in chemistry will not work as an accountant to maintain the OPT status. The approval of OPT does not authorize a student to work in the States on a permanently or for a really long time. The student will need to find a boss who is willing to sponsor him/her for H-1B visa that can potentially lead to a permanent living status in the United States.


One must understand that OPT is not a visa by itself. The student continues in the States under the initial F-1 student visa. OPT authorizes a student to be employed in the U.S. from the legal point of view. One of the advantages of this type of training is that it is quite flexible. Students who seek to request for OPT do not need job offer paper in their hands. They can start their job hunt they have been approved for the OPT status. And they can work for any employer of their choice; just the work ...
... has to be associated to their area of studies. In this regard it must be mentioned that there is also some flexibility in what is considered to be "work". Students may work for companies, choose to volunteer or work as interns, be self-employed, etc. The main criterion of the OPT rank is that the scholars have to gain functional know-how associated to their studies.


Optional practical training is a 12-month long program. When the OPT request has been accepted, it cannot be expanded even if the Indian Students in US can't find a job. The time on OPT enumerations from the date set by the USCIS. It has to be kept in mind that 12-month period does not necessarily denote 12-months of employment. It is furthermore important to realize that if OPT Students USA for more than 90 days at the time they are on OPT, their F-1 visa will definitely be taken as "out of status" and the student must leave the United States.


Each F-1 visa holder is eligible of getting a one-time 12-month work authorization under the OPT program. There are a few other ways around this if a scholar likes another 12-month OPT. If a student has now got admission in a higher degree level than the previous degree (i.e. the scholar had completed a 12-month OPT after graduating with a bachelor's degree, returned to school, and the scholar is now searching OPT after completing master's degree), then they may apply for another 12-month OPT as long as all the eligibility obligations are carefully met.


The OPT Students USA will not entitled to another OPT if they have completed the OPT after receiving bachelor's degrees, and have enrolled in another bachelor's degree course in another field. The only way round this is for the scholar to depart the States and re-apply for another F-1 visa. When the said visa is sanctioned; the Indian Students in US will be entitled to a new 12-month OPT under the new visa.


The author of this article, Sansda Mark, offers professional consultancy in job search for the OPT students, as he works in an agency that offers Entry level jobs for the interested candidates.