Employment

Students in F-1 status are eligible to work part time while school is in session and full time during approved vacation terms. Part-time work is considered less than 20 hours per week. Many international students who would like to work on campus at GGU are able to secure positions. On campus job openings are posted on GGU's website.

Job Postings

International students do not require authorization from USCIS to work on campus. Once a job offer has been received IAA Services will help you to obtain a Social Security Number. You will not be permitted to begin work until you have obtained a Social Security Number.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is available to F-1 students who have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis in a USCIS approved college, university, conservatory, or seminary for one full academic year. OPT has a cumulative maximum of 12 months per degree sought. OPT does not require a job offer, BUT the job should be directly related to your field of study.

The Application Procedure

1. Download an OPT Packet.pdf.
2. Compile all of the necessary documents.
3. Make an appointment with your international student counselor.

There are Four Types of OPT

1. Vacation Period Practical Training: You may work full or part time in a job related to your field of study during the breaks between semesters if you are currently enrolled and plan to register for the next term.
2. While School is in Session: You may work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year in employment related to your field of study.
3. Thesis Practical Training: You may work full or part time in employment related to your study when all course requirements are completed for the degree and you are working on your thesis.
4. Post-Completion Practical Training: When all the work for a degree has been completed, you may work full or part time.

Can I use more than one type of OPT?

Yes, but you only have 12 months of OPT per degree level sought. Part-time OPT is deducted from the 12 month total at a rate of 50 percent. For example, if you use 6 months of part-time optional practical training, this is equivalent to using 3 months of full-time optional practical training. You will need to file a new application and pay the $340fee for each period of OPT your request.

When should I apply for OPT?

All requests for OPT must be received by the California Service Center up to 90 days before the date of your graduation and within 60 days after your graduation. Your date of graduation is the date you complete all of the requirements for your program of study. Your graduation date is not the date of your graduation ceremony or the date you receive your diploma.

Requests for employment authorization require a minimum of 90 days to process. Sometimes it can take as many as 120 to 140 days for the California Service Center to process your request. You will need to plan ahead!

What kind of work can I do under OPT?

Your should engage in work that is directly related to your field of study. The type of work you do should be commensurate with the degree level you have earned.

When do I become eligible to apply for OPT?

You must have been enrolled on a full-time basis for one full academic year.

If I plan to use my OPT after I graduate, when do I need to begin working?

All optional practical training must be completed within 14 months following completion of study. In other words, you may request an OPT start day within 60 days of your date of graduation. OPT does not require that you have a job, but if you remain in the US on OPT after graduation you should be looking for employment.

Where do I mail my application?

We recommend that you send your application by US certified mail or with delivery confirmation. You should mail your entire application packet to:

US Department of Homeland Security
US Citizenship and Immigration Service
California Service Center
P.O. Box 10765
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-1076

How can I learn the status of my application?

Check Your Application Status Online or call 1-800-375-5283 or 949-831-8427. You will need to have your 13-character application receipt number. It is a 10 digit number preceded by the letters "WAC."

When can I begin working?

You must receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from the California Service Center before you begin working. The first day that you may begin work is the start date indicated on your EAD.

Can I continue using my optional practical training and begin a new degree program?

No. If you begin full-time study at another educational level, your OPT will be terminated. Students using OPT may take classes on a part-time basis if they are recreational in nature or considered incidental to status.

How does OPT affect my ability to travel outside of the US?

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), an Office of the US Department of Homeland Security, recently revisited its policy concerning re-entry for students on OPT. Based on this new interpretation we advise students to travel outside the US only if they can establish that they are currently employed in the US or have a valid offer of employment.

Students on OPT should plan to present the following documents at the US Port of Entry:

1. A valid EAD
2. An official letter of employment or offer letter
3. A current I-20 with a travel signature on the third page, dated within the last six months
4. A valid F-1 visa
5. A passport valid for at least six months

I lost my EAD card, how do I get a new one?

You will need to apply to the California Service Center for a new card. You will need to submit a copy of your original application as well as a new $175 application fee. If you have a copy of your lost EAD card you should submit this as well. You may continue working with the same company while your request is being processed.

I applied for my EAD more than two months ago and I am scheduled to work very soon. Can I get paid by the company at a later date for the short period that I did not have my EAD?

No! Working without a work permit is a serious violation of your immigration status, and could be grounds for deportation.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is employment that is an integral part of a student's curriculum. It must meet the following requirements:

• The work must be related to your major field of study
• You must receive academic credit toward your degree program for the employment experience
• An internship course must be necessary to complete your academic program

The Application Procedure

1. Download a CPT Packet.
2. Compile all of the necessary documents.
3. Make an appointment with your international student counselor.

When am I eligible to participate in CPT?

• You must be in lawful F-1 status.
• You must have been a full-time student for at least one academic year (two consecutive terms). Example: Fall 2008 and Spring 2009.
• You must be academically eligible to take an internship course.
• You must register and enroll in an internship course offered through your academic department.

Part Time vs. Full Time Curricular Practical Training

Depending on your program of study, you may be allowed the option of working part time (up to 20 hours per week) or full time (20 or more hours per week). You should meet with your Faculty/Academic Adviser to determine what is available and what is ideal for your particular situation.

F-1 students may be eligible for off-campus work authorization due to economic hardship if:

1. You have been in lawful F-1 status for one full academic year, are in good academic standing, and demonstrate that the employment will not interfere with your enrollment in a full course of study; AND
2. You demonstrate that you have made a good faith effort to locate on-campus employment before applying for employment based on economic hardship; AND
3. In the opinion of the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) the need to work is caused by unforeseen circumstances not within your control that arose after obtaining F-1 status. These circumstances include:

• loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without fault on the part of the student
• substantial fluctuations in the value of currency or in the exchange rate
• unusually high increases in tuition and/or living expenses
• unusually high medical bills
• unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student's source of support
• other substantial and unexpected expenses

Application Procedures

You should contact International Admission and Advising Services so that a counselor can evaluate your situation and make certain that you meet the eligibility requirements for this type of employment authorization. You are not required to have a job offer before applying for employment authorization due to economic hardship.

How long will it take to receive employment authorization?

Requests for employment authorization require a minimum of 90 days to process. Sometimes it can take as many as 120 to 140 days for the California Service Center to process your request. You will need to plan ahead!

What kind of work can I do under severe economic hardship?

You can work in any field. This type of work authorization does not limit the type of job you can do.

Does work under sever economic hardship affect my eligibility to to apply for OPT or to work on campus?

No. This type of work does not count toward the 20 hour per week on-campus maximum. In other words, you may still work 20 hours per week on campus and also work off campus using your severe economic hardship authorization. It also does not affect your eligibility for optional practical training.

When can I begin working?

You must receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from the California Service Center before you begin working. The first day that you may begin work is the start date indicated on your EAD.

Due to the Asian economic crisis, students whose source of funding, as stated on their I-20s, comes from Indonesia, Malaysia, S. Korea, Thailand or the Philippines, may be eligible to apply for off-campus employment. In order to be eligible students must:

• have held F-1 status before June 10, 1998
• be in-status at the time of application
• show that source of funding comes from one of the five affected countries listed above
• show that they are experiencing severe economic hardship
• be in good academic standing

Eligible students must also get recommendations from an IAA counselor before mailing the employment authorization application to the California Service Center.

» What Employers Should Know About Hiring International Students (pdf)
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