What is the difference between CPT and OPT?

CPT is work that is an integral part of your curriculum, authorised by your school's DSO. OPT is temporary work directly related to your major. OPT needs a DSO recommendation and then USCIS approval of Form I-765.

Who approves CPT, and who approves OPT?

Your designated school official (DSO) authorises CPT in SEVIS. For OPT, your DSO first recommends you in SEVIS. You then file Form I-765, and USCIS approves it and issues your EAD.

Can I start working on OPT before USCIS approves it?

No. USCIS says you may not begin OPT until it approves your Form I-765 and you receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

How long is OPT, and what is the STEM OPT extension?

OPT gives up to 12 months of work authorisation. With a degree on the STEM Designated Degree Program List, you can apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension.

Does a STEM OPT employer need to use E-Verify?

Yes. The STEM OPT extension must be with an employer enrolled in E-Verify. The employer also signs a Form I-983 training plan with you.

What is the 90-day unemployment rule on OPT?

On post-completion OPT you may have up to 90 days of unemployment. With the STEM OPT extension the limit is 150 days in total, including days used on post-completion OPT.

Does full-time CPT affect my OPT?

Yes. Students who complete one year or more of full-time CPT are not eligible for post-completion OPT. Ask your DSO before you take full-time CPT.

How is the H-1B different from OPT?

OPT is work authorisation tied to your F-1 student status. The H-1B is a separate work visa for a specialty occupation. Your employer must petition for it, and most H-1B petitions fall under an annual cap.

How does the H-1B cap and registration work?

The regular cap is 65,000 a year, plus 20,000 for holders of a US master's degree or higher. Employers register each person first. If needed, USCIS runs a selection weighted by wage level.

Does the $100,000 H-1B payment apply to students already in the US?

The Proclamation of 19 September 2025 does not apply to a change of status inside the US that USCIS grants. A court order of 8 June 2026 vacated the agency guidance for the payment. Read USCIS's H-1B page for its current status.

Is there a new fee for OPT?

Only a proposal. DHS proposed on 7 October 2026 a $70,000 fee per student for initial OPT and $30,000 for any later OPT, paid by schools. It is not in force.

Which employers can sponsor an H-1B?

The employer files the H-1B petition. Universities and certain nonprofit or government research organisations are exempt from the cap. insiderOne marks roles at employers that USCIS data shows have had H-1B approvals.

United States guide

CPT and OPT in the US: how international students can work, and what comes after

On an F-1 visa you can work through CPT during your degree, if your school's DSO authorises it. OPT gives up to 12 months of work linked to your field, once USCIS approves it. A STEM degree can add 24 months with an E-Verify employer. H-1B is a separate work visa that an employer petitions for.

CPT
OPT
STEM OPT
The 90-day unemployment rule
H-1B
H-1B registration
The $100,000 H-1B payment of September 2025
Proposed fees
Roles at visa sponsors

CPT: work that is part of your course

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is for F students when the work is an integral part of an established curriculum. Your school's designated school official (DSO) authorises it.

CPT must be directly related to your major. Study in the States (DHS): Training opportunities in the United States
You ask your DSO, who confirms you are eligible and authorises the CPT in SEVIS. Study in the States (DHS): Training opportunities in the United States
You generally need one full academic year at an SEVP-certified school first. Graduate programmes that require CPT straight away are an exception. Study in the States (DHS): Training opportunities in the United States
If you complete one year or more of full-time CPT, you cannot take post-completion OPT. Study in the States (DHS): Training opportunities in the United States

OPT: up to 12 months of work in your field

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary work directly related to your major. You can get up to 12 months, before you finish your degree, after it, or split between the two.

Your DSO recommends you first, by endorsing your Form I-20 and noting it in SEVIS. You then file Form I-765 with USCIS. USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students
You may not start OPT until USCIS approves your Form I-765 and you receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD). USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students
For post-completion OPT, you can apply up to 90 days before your degree ends and no later than 60 days after. USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students
You must file within 30 days of your DSO entering the recommendation in SEVIS. USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students
Pre-completion OPT is limited to 20 hours a week while school is in session. Full time is allowed when school is not in session. USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students
On post-completion OPT you must work at least 20 hours a week. USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students
Any pre-completion OPT you use is taken away from your post-completion time. USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students

STEM OPT: 24 more months, with an E-Verify employer

If your degree is on the STEM Designated Degree Program List, you can apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension. The job must be with an employer enrolled in E-Verify.

You must already have an initial grant of post-completion OPT based on a STEM degree. USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students
Apply within 60 days of your DSO's recommendation, and up to 90 days before your current OPT expires. USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students
Your employer gives you formal training and learning objectives in a Form I-983 training plan. Study in the States (DHS): STEM OPT Extension Overview
The employer that signs the training plan must be the same employer that employs you. Study in the States (DHS): STEM OPT Extension Overview
You and your employer must report material changes to the training plan to your DSO. Study in the States (DHS): STEM OPT Extension Overview

The 90-day unemployment rule

On post-completion OPT you may be unemployed for up to 90 days. With a STEM OPT extension the limit is 150 days, counting the days used before it.

Post-completion OPT allows 90 days of unemployment. Study in the States (DHS): Unemployment Counter
STEM OPT allows 150 days, which includes any days used on post-completion OPT. Study in the States (DHS): Unemployment Counter
The STEM extension adds 60 days to the 90 allowed on initial post-completion OPT. Study in the States (DHS): STEM OPT Extension Overview
SEVIS counts a day as unemployed when no employer is on file for it. Keep your employer details up to date with your DSO. Study in the States (DHS): Unemployment Counter

H-1B: a separate work visa your employer petitions for

OPT is work permission tied to your student status. The H-1B is a separate work visa for a specialty occupation, and your employer files the petition.

A specialty occupation needs specialised knowledge and at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related specialty. USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations
The employer files Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations
The cap is 65,000 new H-1B statuses or visas each fiscal year. Another 20,000 are for people with a US master's degree or higher. USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations
Universities, their related nonprofits, nonprofit research organisations and government research organisations are not subject to the cap. USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations
An H-1B is generally granted for up to 3 years, and for 6 years in total. USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations

H-1B registration: the employer registers, then USCIS selects

For a cap-subject H-1B, the employer first registers you online. If a selection is needed, USCIS runs one weighted by wage level.

The registrant is the employer, not the worker. Each registration covers one person. USCIS: H-1B Electronic Registration Process
The registration fee for the fiscal year 2027 cap was $215, and it is not refundable. USCIS: H-1B Electronic Registration Process
The fiscal year 2027 registration ran from noon Eastern on 4 March to 5 p.m. Eastern on 19 March. USCIS: H-1B Electronic Registration Process
Selected employers could file petitions from 1 April. USCIS: H-1B Electronic Registration Process
USCIS says it has received enough petitions to reach both fiscal year 2027 caps. USCIS: H-1B Electronic Registration Process
If your employer files a cap-subject H-1B for you on time, a cap-gap extension can keep your F-1 status and OPT going. It is automatic. USCIS: Extension of post-completion OPT and F-1 status under the H-1B cap-gap regulations
The cap-gap ends on 1 April of the fiscal year requested, or the petition's start date, whichever comes first. Your DSO issues an updated Form I-20. USCIS: Extension of post-completion OPT and F-1 status under the H-1B cap-gap regulations

The $100,000 H-1B payment of September 2025

A Presidential Proclamation of 19 September 2025 requires a $100,000 payment on certain new H-1B petitions. A federal court vacated the agency guidance for it on 8 June 2026.

Status: a court has vacated the guidance for it. USCIS says DHS will comply with the order while it considers next steps. DHS still plans to collect the payment if the order is lifted.

It applies to certain petitions filed from 12:01 a.m. Eastern on 21 September 2025, for people outside the US without a valid H-1B visa. USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations
It does not apply to a change of status or extension for someone inside the US, when USCIS grants it. USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations
If USCIS finds the person ineligible for that change or extension, the payment applies. USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations
On 8 June 2026 the District Court for Massachusetts vacated the guidance. On 24 July 2026 the First Circuit refused to stay that order. USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations

Proposed fees: OPT and H-1B

DHS has proposed new fees for OPT and for H-1B cap-subject petitions. Both are proposals, not law, and could change before any final rule.

Proposal, not in force. Public comments on the OPT fees close on 9 November 2026. DHS describes the OPT fees as a proposed rule that would apply only if finalized.

On 7 October 2026 DHS proposed a $70,000 fee per F-1 student for initial OPT, and $30,000 for any later OPT. DHS news release: DHS Proposes Fees for Foreign Student Work Program
Under the proposal, SEVP-certified schools would pay the fee before their DSO recommends a student for OPT. DHS news release: DHS Proposes Fees for Foreign Student Work Program
The Federal Register published it as a proposed rule on 8 October 2026, document 2026-20660. Federal Register: Optional Practical Training Fees (proposed rule)
On 24 August 2026 DHS proposed a $103,265 fee for all H-1B cap-subject petitions. Cap-exempt petitions would not pay it. USCIS news release: DHS Proposes Additional H-1B Fee

Roles at visa sponsors in the United States

These pages list open roles at employers found in the official sponsor data. Being listed does not mean an employer will sponsor you. Ask each one.

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Questions students ask

What is the difference between CPT and OPT?: CPT is work that is an integral part of your curriculum, authorised by your school's DSO. OPT is temporary work directly related to your major. OPT needs a DSO recommendation and then USCIS approval of Form I-765.
Who approves CPT, and who approves OPT?: Your designated school official (DSO) authorises CPT in SEVIS. For OPT, your DSO first recommends you in SEVIS. You then file Form I-765, and USCIS approves it and issues your EAD.
Can I start working on OPT before USCIS approves it?: No. USCIS says you may not begin OPT until it approves your Form I-765 and you receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
How long is OPT, and what is the STEM OPT extension?: OPT gives up to 12 months of work authorisation. With a degree on the STEM Designated Degree Program List, you can apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension.
Does a STEM OPT employer need to use E-Verify?: Yes. The STEM OPT extension must be with an employer enrolled in E-Verify. The employer also signs a Form I-983 training plan with you.
What is the 90-day unemployment rule on OPT?: On post-completion OPT you may have up to 90 days of unemployment. With the STEM OPT extension the limit is 150 days in total, including days used on post-completion OPT.
Does full-time CPT affect my OPT?: Yes. Students who complete one year or more of full-time CPT are not eligible for post-completion OPT. Ask your DSO before you take full-time CPT.
How is the H-1B different from OPT?: OPT is work authorisation tied to your F-1 student status. The H-1B is a separate work visa for a specialty occupation. Your employer must petition for it, and most H-1B petitions fall under an annual cap.
How does the H-1B cap and registration work?: The regular cap is 65,000 a year, plus 20,000 for holders of a US master's degree or higher. Employers register each person first. If needed, USCIS runs a selection weighted by wage level.
Does the $100,000 H-1B payment apply to students already in the US?: The Proclamation of 19 September 2025 does not apply to a change of status inside the US that USCIS grants. A court order of 8 June 2026 vacated the agency guidance for the payment. Read USCIS's H-1B page for its current status.
Is there a new fee for OPT?: Only a proposal. DHS proposed on 7 October 2026 a $70,000 fee per student for initial OPT and $30,000 for any later OPT, paid by schools. It is not in force.
Which employers can sponsor an H-1B?: The employer files the H-1B petition. Universities and certain nonprofit or government research organisations are exempt from the cap. insiderOne marks roles at employers that USCIS data shows have had H-1B approvals.

Official sources

Each was opened and read on 27 October 2026.

Study in the States (DHS): Training opportunities in the United States. CPT and OPT for F students. Page last updated 24 August 2026.
USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students. OPT, Form I-765, filing windows and the STEM OPT extension. Page last reviewed 25 November 2024.
Study in the States (DHS): STEM OPT Extension Overview. The 24-month extension, E-Verify, Form I-983 and unemployment days. Page last updated 28 April 2025.
Study in the States (DHS): Unemployment Counter. How SEVIS counts days without employment on OPT. Page last updated 27 July 2026.
USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations. The H-1B, its annual cap, cap-exempt employers, and the $100,000 payment and court orders. Page last reviewed 21 September 2026.
USCIS: H-1B Electronic Registration Process. Who registers, the fee and how selection works. Page last updated 21 September 2026.
USCIS: Extension of post-completion OPT and F-1 status under the H-1B cap-gap regulations. The cap-gap extension. Page last updated 17 January 2025.
USCIS news release: DHS Proposes Additional H-1B Fee. A proposed fee on H-1B cap-subject petitions. Released 24 August 2026.
DHS news release: DHS Proposes Fees for Foreign Student Work Program. The proposed OPT fees, announced 7 October 2026.
Federal Register: Optional Practical Training Fees (proposed rule). Document 2026-20660, a proposed rule published 8 October 2026. Comments close 9 November 2026.