ISSS Career Services

Career Workshops

Individual Appointments

Employment Resources

Career and Employment Web Sites

Career Planning and Placement Offices

Etiquette Dinner

Curricular/Optional Practical Training workshops

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Employment

H-1B & Permanent Resident Workshops

ISSS Career Services

Q&A Employment

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Employment

1. May students with an F or J visa work off-campus without authorization if they are not receiving any compensation?
2. May F or J students work off the campus during the summer vacation?
3. How do I handle visa status questions during interviews?
4. How is the process of obtaining an H-1B1 (work) visa started?

F-1 Specific Questions

1. May I be authorized full-time CPT and attend school at the same time?
2. May I be authorized for CPT after a program extension?
3. When should I apply for post completion optional practical training (OPT)?
4. May I travel outside the U.S. while waiting for my post-completion OPT Employment Authorization Document (EAD)?

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Employment

1. May students with an F or J visa work off-campus without authorization?

if they are not receiving any compensation? It does not matter if the job is paid or unpaid; students with an F or J visa almost always need authorization to work off campus. The only exception is if the work off-campus is a volunteer position with no compensation though a bona fide volunteer organization such as the United Way, Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc.

2. May F or J students work off the campus during the summer vacation?

Any employment off the campus requires specific work authorization, even during official University vacation periods. You must meet eligibility requirements for employment authorization. See an ISSS adviser regarding work options and eligibility requirements.

3. How do I handle visa status questions during interviews?

An employer needs to know whether a student has the right to work in the U.S., and, therefore, ask for proof. Having a correct understanding of employment authorization (e.g. CPT, OPT) as well as the ability to communicate this to a perspective employer is to the student's advantage. It is often preferable to receive a job offer before securing authorization. Consequently, during the interview process, the student may be unable to show work authorization but should have determined that she or he is eligible for the authorization. It is not necessary to secure employment before applying for OPT.

4. How is the process of obtaining an H-1B1 (work) visa started?

In most cases the prospective employer initiates the process of filing for an H-1B1 visa. If the student's prospective H-1 employer is the University of Minnesota, he or she may make an appointment with an ISSS H-1 advisor to further discuss the process. If the perspective employer is not the University of Minnesota, the student should work with his or her company's legal professional(s) to file the appropriate documentation.

F-1 Specific Questions

1. May I be authorized for full-time CPT and attend school at the same time?

A student may be authorized full-time CPT during school breaks (e.g., summer and winter vacations/spring break). If the student has completed all course requirements for the degree and is working full-time on research, thesis, or Plan B paper, he or she may also be authorized for full-time CPT during the academic year (Fall and Spring semesters). Please talk with an F-1 advisor or attend a CPT/OPT Workshop for further eligibility requirements.

2. May I be authorized for CPT after a program extension?

After a program extension students may only work a total of 20 hours per week including both on-campus and off-campus work. For example, if a student has a 10 hour-per-week graduate assistantship, he or she may obtain CPT authorization for an additional 10 hours per week of off campus work.

3. When should I apply for post completion optional practical training (OPT)?

ISSS recommends that a student applies for post completion OPT 120 days before her or his expected date of degree completion. Currently, INS is taking over three months to authorize OPT.

4. May I travel outside the U.S. while waiting for my post-completion OPT Employment Authorization Document (EAD)?

A student must receive her or his EAD before temporarily leaving the U.S. Once a student has submitted an OPT application to INS, reentering the U.S. without the EAD is not possible.