May work oncampus a maximum of 20 hours per week during the academic year AugustMay

1
Employment

• May work on-campus a maximum of 20 hours per week
  during the academic year (August-May)
• May work on-campus a maximum of 40 hours per week
  only during official school breaks
• Graduate student with full assistantships (20
  hours) may not work additional hours on-Campus
• Un-authorized off-campus employment is strictly
  prohibited
• Practical training / internships must be apart of
  the program of study and be pre-approved by a
  designated school official

2
Off-campus options

• ACADEMIC TRAINING
• Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
• Optional Practical Training (OPT)

3
ACADEMIC TRAININGJ-1 Status

• Academic Training is flexible in it is
  available both before and after the completion of
  an academic program of study.
• Conditions of Eligibility
• Students is here to study and must be in good
  academic standing at the school named on the Form
  DS-2019.
• The proposed employment must be directly related
  to a students major field of study.
• Throughout the Academic Training period,
  student must maintain permission to remain in the
  United States (and apply for extensions as
  necessary.
• Student must maintain health insurance and
  medical evacuation/repatriation coverage for
  him/herself and any J-2 dependents through the
  Academic Training period.
• Limitations-general
• Students employment may not exceed the period
  of full course of study or 18 months, whichever
  is shorter.
• Part-time employment for Academic Training
  counts as full-time employment.
• Earning more than one degree does not increase a
  students eligibility for Academic Training.
• After completion of a students program of study
• Academic Training approved after completion of
  the academic program must be reduced by any prior
  periods of Academic Training.
• Whether the other items in the application are
  ready or not, a student must obtain a written
  offer of appropriate employment and present a
  copy to the J-1 Responsible Officer no later than
  his/her graduation date (degree program) or the
  last day of final examinations (non-degree
  program.)
• If students plan to leave the United States after
  completing their programs of study and reenter
  the country for J-1 Academic Training, they
  must obtain employment authorization and a new
  Form DS-2019 before leaving. If this is not done,
  there is no basis for being eligible for
  readmission.

4
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

• What is it?
• Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is temporary
  employment on a full-time or part-time basis,
  which is integral to an established curriculum.
• CPT is defined as alternate work/study,
  internship, cooperative education, or any other
  type of required internship or practicum which is
  offered by sponsoring employers through
  cooperative agreements with the school. 8
  C.F.R. 214.2 (f) (10) (i)
• Eligibility students
• Must have been lawfully enrolled in an I.N.S.
  approved school on a full-time basis for 9
  consecutive months as an F-1 student, or, as a
  student under another nonimmigrant status.
• (The 9-month provision can be waived for graduate
  students whose program of study requires
  immediate CPT.)
• Must have an offer of employment from a specific
  employer for a specific location and time.
• Must be an integral part of a students
  established curriculum and approved by his or her
  academic advisor.
• Must receive credit for CPT participation.
• Designated School Official (DSO) must approve and
  record CPT 1-month prior the start date of work.
• Student must have a job offer.
• Restrictions
• Part-time CPT (20 hours or less per week)
  requires students to be fully enrolled in an
  academic institution (no less than 12 hours).
• Full-time CPT, lasting 12 months, disqualifies
  eligibility for post-graduation OPT.

5

• Optional Practical Training (OPT)
• Definition
• Temporary employment for practical training
  directly related to the students major are of
  study.
• 8 C.F.R. 214.2 (f)(10)(ii)
• Eligibility
• Must have been lawfully enrolled in a BCIS
  approved school on a full-time basis for 9
  consecutive months as an F-1 student, or, as a
  student under another nonimmigrant status, such
  as J-1 status, or as a dependent of a
  nonimmigrant visa holding guardian.
• Employment must be directly related to students
  major area of study.

6
OPT may only be authorized

• During annual vacations as long as the student is
  enrolled in school or intends to register for the
  following term
• On a part-time basis during the academic term,
  but limited to 20 hours a week while maintaining
  a full course of study
• On a full-time basis after completion of course
  requirements, excluding thesis or equivalent or
• On a full-time basis following completion of a
  bachelors, masters, or PhD degree.
• OPT is limited to a total of 12 months
  during/after each level of degree obtained.
• Part-time OPT pre-completion of studies is
  deducted from the 12-month limit at 50 post -
  graduation.
• Students who have engaged in Curricular Practical
  Training (CPT) on a full-time basis, for a
  consecutive 12 or more, are ineligible to
  participate in OPT

7
Application Time

• Students may apply for post-graduation 120 days
  prior to graduation.
• Students must submit an OPT application to the
  BCIS BEFORE the completion date of their studies.
  
• Students forfeit their eligibility to participate
  in OPT if they fail to submit an application for
  OPT before the completion date of their studies.
• Approval Time
• Estimated 90 days
• After 90 days of receiving a Notice of Action
  receipt from the BCIS, students may appear at the
  Charlotte BCIS District Office to receive a
  temporary Employment Authorization Card (EAD),
  which will allow them to work until their EAD
  card arrives.

8

• OPT Limitations
• Any employment during OPT must be directly
  related to student field of study.
• OPT is terminated upon entrance into another
  program of study.
• Upon completion of OPT, students have 60 days to
  depart the US unless they have entered another
  program of study or secured another visa status.
• OPT must be completed within 14 months from the
  date of graduation. Students receiving
  employment authorization 3 months after
  graduation will only be able to participate in 11
  months of OPT.
• SEVIS Reporting Requirement
• Students participating in OPT are required to
  report the following to a Designate School
  Official (DSO)
• Physical address
• Employer
• Employers address
• Start and end dates of employment
• Brief description of how employment directly
  relates to major field of study

9
Next steps

• Plan early make an appointment
• Must apply before the last day of classes
• Follow instructions on handouts and come prepared
  
• Cost 340 (subject to changes by US-CIS)
• Keep me notified of your expected date of
  graduation

10
SEVIS REPORTABLE ACTIONS
Enrollment / Course Load
Dependent Information
Financial Information
Biographical Information
Reinstatement of Status
School Transfer
Extension
Program of Study
Violation of BCIS Regulations
Current Address
Non-Attendance
Practical Training / Internship
11
Travel

• For re-entry purposes
• A D.S.O. must sign the I-20 / DS-2019 travel line
  before a student travels outside the U.S.
  Signatures for re-entry are valid for 12-months
• A D.S.O. does not need to sign the I-20 / DS-2019
  travel line for domestic travel.