Practical Training Seminar Wednesdays at 3pm

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Practical Training SeminarWednesdays at 3pm
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F-1 Practical Training (PT)

• Work authorization for the purpose of applying
  course knowledge to a practical work experience
• Job/internship must be directly-related to your
  major field of study
• -- must be in major field indicated on I-20
• -- cannot be a minor
• -- cannot be in a previous degree major if
  different
• than your current degree major
• Must have enrolled as a full time student for one
  full academic year to be eligible for Practical
  Training
• Employment may be paid or unpaid

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Types of F-1 Practical Training

• Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
• -- Available Pre Degree Completion
• -- Position must be integral part of an
• established curriculum/experience-based class
• -- Authorized by Slutzker Center Advisor
• Optional Practical Training (OPT)
• -- Available Pre or Post Degree Completion
• -- Temporary employment
• -- Authorized by US Citizenship Immigration
• Services (USCIS)

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Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

• Pre-completion employment that is an
• integral part of an established curriculum.
• (internship, practicum, alternate work/study,
  co-op)
• CPT may be
• Required part of academic program
• -- established requirement necessary for
  graduation
• Non-required part of academic program
• -- practical experience directly related to your
  major field
• of study that you register for credit
• -- must be enrolled in the course while engaging
  in CPT

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CPT Eligibility

• If all eligibility requirements are met, CPT is
• authorized by the Slutzker Center and documented
• in your I-20.
• USCIS Eligibility Requirements
• F-1 student who has been enrolled full-time for
  at least 1 full academic year (not in a language
  program)
• Must be enrolled full-time and maintaining lawful
  F-1 status
• Must have a written job offer
• Authorization must be for period prior to degree
  completion
• Must not begin CPT until new I-20 authorizing CPT
  is issued

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Registering for CPT

• CPT must be registered for and occur within an
  academic
• semester.
• -- CPT can occur during multiple semesters but
  you must re-
• apply each semester and register the
  experiences separately
• CPT may be part-time or full-time employment.
• Part-time
• -- 20 hours or less per week
• -- must be simultaneously enrolled full-time
• -- no limitation on the number of part-time CPT
  experiences
• you can complete
• Full-time
• -- more than 20 hours per week
• -- 12 months or more of full-time CPT makes you
  ineligible for
• OPT

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CPT Application Process

• Make a PT Step 2 appointment and bring the
• following
• -- Recommendation Letter on department
  letterhead
• -- Student Responsibilities Checklist
• -- Training Data Sheet
• -- Original of all I-20s
• -- Original of passport, visa, and I-94 card
• -- Photocopy of health insurance card/plan
  (should be valid 1 full academic year and
  renewed each year thereafter)

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Optional Practical Training (OPT)

• Authorization for employment directly related
• to your major field of study.
• Employment is
• Temporary
• -- it may however lead to a H-1B temporary work
  visa
• Optional
• -- not part of a curriculum
• -- work benefit does not have to be utilized
• May be with any employer
• -- job offer is not necessary for approval

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OPT Eligibility

• F-1 student who has been enrolled full-time for
  at least 1 full academic year prior to submitting
  an OPT application (not in an English training
  program)
• Be maintaining lawful F-1 status
• Intend to obtain employment in a position
  directly related to your major field of study
• Have not completed more than 364 days of
  full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
• -- The Slutzker Center strongly recommends
  ending full-time

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When OPT Can Occur

• Prior to Degree Completion
• -- Part-time or Full-time During annual
  vacation
• -- Part-time While school is in session
• -- Full-time When only thesis/dissertation or
  an equivalent remains
• After Degree Completion
• -- Full-time All degree requirements completed

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Duration of OPT

• Maximum work benefit equivalent to 12 months of
  full-time employment
• -- Pre-completion part-time rate is ½ the
  full-time rate
• -- You are ineligible for OPT if you have
  completed 12
• months or more of full-time CPT.
• - The Slutzker Center strongly recommends
  ending full-
• time CPT at 11 months
• Pre-completion OPT is subtracted from the 12
  month benefit and only the remaining benefit can
  be utilized after degree completion
• Must complete Post-Completion OPT by no later
  than 14 months after your program end date

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When to Apply for OPT

• USCIS application processing typically takes 3-4
• months so plan ahead and submit applications
  early.
• Pre-Completion
• -- During 1st year As early as 90 days prior
  to the day you will complete your 1st year
  of study
• -- After 1st year As early as 120 days prior
  to the work authorization date you request
  but your application must be received by
  USCIS by no later than the day you complete your
  program
• Post-Completion
• -- As early as 120 days prior to your program
  end date. Your application must be received by
  USCIS by no later than the day you complete your
  program.

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OPT Application Process

• Make a PT Step 2 appointment and bring the
  following
• -- Recommendation Letter on department
  letterhead
• -- Form I-765
• -- Student Responsibilities Checklist
• -- Training Data Sheet
• -- Original photocopy of all I-20s
• -- Original photocopy of passport, visa, and
  the front and
• back of your I-94 card
• -- Two identical passport photos with I-94
  number written on back
• -- 180 check/money order payable to Department
  of Homeland
• Security
• -- Photocopy of health insurance card/plan valid
  through program completion

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Completing the Form I-765

• Form I-765
• US Address
• - Serviceable mailbox in the Vermont Service
  Center jurisdiction
• Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,
  Virginia, Delaware, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico,
  Virgin Islands, Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island,
  West Virginia, Maryland, New York, Vermont, or
  the District of Columbia
• - May be your address or an acquaintances
  address
• - Clearly mark your name on your mailbox (or
  your acquaintances mailbox)- USCIS does not
  forward mail
• Previous Employment Authorization
• - CPT does not apply
• Eligibility Category
• - (c) (3) (i)

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Completing the Training Data Sheet

• Requested Employment Start Date
• -- Any time up to 60 days after your program
  end date
• - May want to set a start date closer to the
  end of the 60 day
• period if you do not have a job
  offer and/or submit your
• OPT application later than 3 months
  prior to your program
• completion date.
• - For Post Completion OPT, you are not able to
  recover time that passes while you are
  completing your program if you
• do not finish by the end date listed on your
  I-20.
• - It is possible that USCIS will adjust your
  OPT start and end
• date while processing your application if
  your OPT is not

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Submitting OPT Application

• Two business days after attending your PT Step 2
• appointment, you may pick up your completed OPT
• application packet from the Slutzker Center.
• Applications should be mailed to
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Vermont Service Center
• 75 Lower Welden St.
• Saint Albans, Vermont 05479
• It is recommended that applications be sent by
  certified mail with a return
• receipt so that you can track the delivery of
  your application.

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Checking Your Application Status

• USCIS will send an application receipt (Form I
• 797) to you in the mail within 30 days of
• receiving your application.
• To check the status of your application
• Access the USCIS Case Status Search Page
• Enter your EAC Application Receipt Number
• It will inform you if your application is in
  process, if they have
• requested further information, or if it has been
  approved or mailed.

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Temporary EAD Card

• If your application is still pending more than
  90
• days after the date of receipt indicated on your
• Form I-797 Receipt Notice, you may request a
• temporary EAD card at the Buffalo District
• Immigration Office.
• You will need
• Your Receipt Notice
• Two new passport photos
• All of your I-20s (current and previous)
• Passport
• Visa
• I-94 card
• New, completed Form I-765

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Employment Authorization Document (EAD)

• USCIS work authorization is issued in the form of
  
• an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
• It indicates the period an authorized F-1 student
  is
• eligible to work.

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Work Authorization

• In order to begin working
• You must have received your EAD card AND
• It must be the day of or any day after the EAD
  start date within the work authorization period
• You may have multiple jobs and change jobs as
• long as each job is in your major area of study
• and you report changes to the Slutzker Center
• through the OPT Students Update Form.
• If you lose your EAD card
• You must submit a new application and fee to
  USCIS
• You may continue working with your same employer
  as long as it is still within the authorization
  period

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Responsibilities While on OPT

• Submit copy of EAD to the Slutzker Center
• Mail/Hand Deliver Clear Copy Email
  Scanned Copy
• Slutzker Center for International Services
  lescis_at_syr.edu
• Re EAD
• 310 Walnut Place
• Syracuse, NY 13244-2380
• Obtain job in your major field of study
• Work only within the authorized work period
• Report any changes of address, contact
  information, name, or employment within 10 days
  of change through the OPT Students Information
  Update Form
• If traveling, obtain advisors signature no older
  than 6 months from the day you plan to re-enter
  the U.S.
• Dont begin a new program of study- OPT is
  canceled

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I-9, Social Security, and Taxes

• I-9 All U.S. employees must complete Employment
  Eligibility Verification I-9 Forms with their
  employers.
• Social Security Employment in the U.S. requires
  a Social Security Number (SSN). You must apply
  for a SSN (if you do not already have one).
• Taxes
• Social Security and Medicare Taxes
• Typically, non-resident F-1 students with
  authorized CPT or OPT are exempt from Social
  Security (F.I.C.A) and Medicare taxes as long as
  you continue to declare non-resident status for
  tax purposes.
• Federal, State, and Local Taxes
• Federal, state, and local taxes will be withheld
  from your paycheck by employers unless you
  qualify for a tax treaty exemption.
• (More information also available at the IRS
  website)

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Travel

• Pre-Completion
• -- Attend a Travel Seminar (Tues 11am Wed 2pm)
• Post-Completion
• -- While OPT is approved
• - I-20 endorsed for OPT - Valid Visa
• - EAD - Valid Passport
• - Letter of job offer - I-94 Card
• - Travel signature no older than 6 months
  from the day
• on which you plan to re-enter the U.S.
• -- While OPT is pending Travel is not
  recommended
• If you disregard Slutzker Center advice
  and travel
• - Documents listed above
• - Application receipt in place of EAD