After completing graduation in any given course or program, the students look for potential employment opportunities. The college or university must be based in the USA, and the students get the opportunity for Optional Practical Training. The F1 visa candidates after they move to the USA get the opportunity to get working opportunities. Either they can choose to work after completing their graduation i.e., post-completion OPT or they can work while their school is in session i.e., pre-completion OPT. Recruiters are also incline to hire OPT students for various reasons. The OPT students must start their job search at the right time, that is in 90 days they must find a suitable job. There is a lot of documentation that is a pre-requirement for getting employment opportunities in the USA.
The scope for OPT students in the USA is widen over the years. In almost every sector the demand to hire OPT students in USA has increased for all the right reasons. They are efficient and have a good intellectual and academic record, hard work, and diversity. After complying with the guidelines and rules framed by the USCIS, they can also work for more than one employer. They have to work for 20 hours per week if they are working in a pre-completion OPT, but they can work full-time if they are working in a post-completion OPT.
Guide for OPT students in USA
Let’s look at the eligibility of F1 and OPT students, and the process of how to hire OPT students in USA. The OPT students are required to get an EAD Employment Authorization Document, which is an important document for getting an employment offer.
- OPT employment – The OPT students who move to the USA on an F1 visa, to pursue their academics in any college or university in the USA. The students must have a valid F1 visa, and they must comply with all the conditions and rules framed by the USCIS. The recruiters hire OPT students on different terms of employment such as full-time, part-time, short-term hire, and contractual employment.
- On-campus employment opportunities – The OPT students can choose to work in their on-campus placement drives, it is also related to their area of academics. The OPT students do not need any prior approval from the USCIS. The Designated School Officer often gives recommendations to the recruiters to hire OPT students in USA. Though there are certain conditions that are to be fulfill by the OPT students before applying for jobs on-campus.
- Be clear with job preferences – The OPT students in the USA must have a clear and direct framework that outlines all the important aspects such as sector, job profiles, terms of employment, compensation, locations, working hours, skills, and professional experience in terms of internship or any other relevant experience.
- It is more important for OPT students to identify that they are eligible to get a job in their academic field. So they must look for jobs in which they have a relevant educational background. However, in recent times the rise in the demand for tech jobs in the IT industry has been elevated. The OPT STEM background students are hired for various profiles such as Software developers, Quality Analysts, front-end and back-end developers, Java developers, and also Data Analysts.
- The OPT students must begin their job search with strong keywords, they can look for relevant job opportunities on different platforms. They can sign up on OPTnation to get updates regarding everyday job postings based on recent data.
- They must have a well-crafted resume that will be their first introduction to the employer. It must speak volumes and it must justify their educational degree and professional capabilities to be a good fit for the specific job role.
- There are so many mitigating factors that OPT students get different payment packages for the same job role in a company. It can be job location, professional experience of the candidate, visa duration, company requirements, and skills of the OPT students.
- Even in NON-STEM job sectors OPT students can find relevant jobs in healthcare, consulting, staffing, and housing jobs.
- Start early – The OPT students must begin their job search before completing their graduation program. They must pay attention to details such as visa validity, job process, and companies that hire OPT students. There are many opportunities that are take out by the top-notch companies in the USA, such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Deloitte.
- Scope for every sector in the US job market – The OPT students who move to the USA to work in OPT. After they gain this valuable professional experience of working in the US job market, they become accustomed to the hiring and industrial patterns in the US job market. The candidates also get the idea of working in big companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, E&Y, Meta, and Deloitte. There are many tech, non-tech, and e-commerce companies and small businesses that hire OPT students.
- Prepare well for the interview – The candidates must be well prepare for the interviews, as these are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. The team at OPTnation also helps and assists the OPT students to excel in upcoming interviews with different companies. The team organizes training sessions and one-on-one sessions to boost the confidence of the candidates. It really brings out the best results when it comes to the performance in the interview as within a few days the OPT students get the desired job offer.
Conclusion
- The F1 visa students get the opportunity for Optional Practical Training, after completing graduation. They must get admission to any course or program, in the college or university must be based in the USA.
- The students look for potential employment opportunities, and when they move to the USA to get the opportunity to get work opportunities in their academic fields. They are eligible for OPT.
- The OPT students in the USA, can either choose to work after completing their graduation i.e., post-completion OPT or they can work while their school is in session i.e., pre-completion OPT.
- The scope for OPT students in the USA is widen over the years. In almost every sector the demand to hire OPT students in USA has increased for all the right reasons.
- It takes approximately 90 days for an application to get approve. So the OPT students must be very appropriate with their timings while applying for an EAD for an OPT job in the US job market.
- The OPT students also get the opportunity to work in top-notch companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, E&Y, Meta, and Deloitte. There are many tech, non-tech, and e-commerce companies and small businesses that hire OPT students.
- They must prepare a well-crafted resume that will be their first introduction to the employer. It is more important for OPT students to identify that they are eligible to get a job in their academic field.
- The candidates must be well prepare for the interviews, they can take relevant assistance from OPTnation for their guidance, and the team organizes training sessions and one-on-one sessions to boost the confidence of the candidates.
- The OPT STEM background students are hired for various profiles such as Software developers, Quality Analysts, front-end and back-end developers, Java developers, and also Data Analysts. As we have seen in recent times the rise in the demand for tech jobs in the IT industry, the rise in tech jobs has been elevated.
- The scope for OPT students in the USA is widen over the years.
- The OPT students must begin their job search before completing their graduation program. The OPT students are require to pay attention to details such as visa validity, job process, and companies that hire OPT students.