JOBS for F-1/OPT Students in Philadelphia, PA

OPT Jobs Training in Philadelphia,PA, USA

                OPT (Optional PracticalTraining) is a benefit available to overseas SPONSOs with F-1 (VISA) immigrationstatus who are enrolled in or finishing a degree programme in the U.S.

This employment can be used:

College in PA

Conservatory

They are not taking ESL classes because thestudent already speaks English fluently.

·        The student has not taken advantage of all thepracticum opportunities offered at their present level of study.

·        It is important to remember that CPT completedat a previous institution while enrolled in the same programme counts towardthe 12-month CPT total that affects OPT. CPT in another level of study has nobearing on OPT.

TYPES OF OPT

·        Post-completion - working after graduation 

·        To qualify for the first option, a person musthave a degree in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, orMathematics), be employed by a company participating in the federalgovernment's E-Verify programme, and submit an application for a 24-monthextension on Form I-765 along with a fee. Students who apply for and aregranted a 24-month extension to their OPT in a timely manner may continueworking throughout this period, up until a decision is made on their I-765 orfor 180 days, whichever comes first.

·        During your initial post-completion OPT period,you are eligible for up to 90 days of unemployment. The "clock"starts ticking on the date your EAD is issued. Your OPT Update Forms submittedto OIA are used by USCIS to keep a record of your jobless status (informationbelow). USCIS will close your file if you fail to maintain your OPT status byproviding updates for more than 90 days. Learn more about what qualifies asemployment, how unemployment benefits are calculated, and what to do if you'vebeen out of work for 90 consecutive days by consulting our training providers.

·        Within 10 days of starting a new job, you mustinform OIA of your new employer. The USCIS will close your file if you fail toreport as required.

·        Once your OPT is authorized and you beginworking, you must disclose your position and how it relates to your degreeprogramme on the OIA OPT Update Form.

·        OIA counsellors can't verify your degree'srelevance or establish that your work is directly related.

·        If it's not evident from the job description howthe work relates to the student's degree, SEVP recommends obtaining a signedletter from your supervisor or manager or the US employer's hiring officialsaying how your degree relates to the work completed. OIA doesn't need a copy.

·        Work for more than one company, however theymust all be in the same field

·        You should retain records showing the dates ofyour contracts, the name and address of the company you worked for, and anyother information that would be required by the IRS if you were hired as a"1099" independent contractor.

·        Employment through a temporary service orconsulting firm in Philadelphia, PA ispermitted if all other conditions are met.

·        It does not matter what kind of employer youwork for or what kind of job you undertake, so long as it helps you achieveyour academic goals (and is legal, of course). It doesn't matter if thebusiness is large or tiny, if it's a start-up or permanent location, if theposition is paid or unpaid, if the hours are standard or irregular, if theemployer is a government agency, a private business, a nonprofit, an NGO, oryou.

VOLUNTEER WORK ANDUNPAID INTERNSHIPS ON OPT

For the first 12 months of F-1post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), involvement in volunteerwork or an unpaid internship may count as employment and should be registeredin SEVIS as such. The volunteer or training opportunity in Philadelphia, PA, USA must be in accordance with all local, state,and federal laws governing employment.

In contrast to popular belief,volunteers do not perform their services for free. Giving one's time to anorganization whose primary mission is altruistic or humanitarian withoutexpecting any financial return is what is meant by the term"volunteer." To learn more about what qualifies as volunteer work,check out the Department of Labor's website.

The United States Department ofLabor uses a specific set of criteria to determine whether or not a certainexperience qualifies as an actual unpaid internship.

If you are not authorized to workin the United States, but you engage in activities that could be consideredemployment anyway, you may jeopardize your immigration status and, as a result,your ability to remain in the country and to qualify for future immigrationbenefits. Always check in with your OVIS advisor before agreeing to participatein anything unfamiliar.