Factors to consider while making a shift to a different country to pursue dreams
There are numerous factors which one has to consider while making a shift to a different country to pursue their dreams. USA, being the land of opportunities has a lot to offer. But we need to make sure that we know what we are getting into. 😃
Student who come on F-1 Visa have certain options to work in USA. With heavy loans, the rising demands for landing in a decent job keeps on bothering them. For them, there are two options for working:
1. Optional Practical Training (OPT)😁
2. Curriculum Practical Training (CPT)😃
Let’s talk about CPT first. It is the opportunity for the student to work during their study time in a paid or unpaid internship environment, or a cooperative (Co-op) program. It’s done during the study period. It can be part-time if the student works for less than 20 hours a week or full-time, if he/she works for more than 20 hours a week. It starts only after the student’s 9 month completion of coursework. CPT needs to be directly related to the major you’ve opted. And you can only work for a single employer as a part of your CPT. If your CPT full-time period extends over 12 months, you lose your eligibility towards the OPT.
On the other hand, OPT can be done during (Pre-completion OPT) and after your studies (Post-completion OPT). It starts after the student has completed one year of their studies. The OPT taken up must be related to their major. Students can work full time during their vacation period under pre-completion OPT.
Unlike CPT, for authorising OPT the student does not require a job offer in hand. But there are certain conditions on the same. If you are unemployed under OPT for more than 90 days, it leads to the cancellation of your visa. As a part of OPT, as long as the job is related to the major, a student can work for multiple employers, unlike CPT. Also, CPT processing is usually done within one or two weeks. While OPT authorisation can take up to 3 months. As a part of your curriculum, you are often granted credits for CPT work while it does not hold true for OPT. For STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) degrees, an OPT Extension of 24 months is allowed as well, which earlier was only of 17 months.
Make sure you know the entire process before jumping in. Reach us on any on our platforms for further clarity: 😬