Working in the United States as an International Student
International students typically receive an F-1 visa to study in the United States. The F-1 visa allows international students to work in certain jobs for the duration of their stay. The following is a list of types of employment that most students with F-1 visas can obtain:
On-campus employment: the college or university can hire you for a variety of on-campus jobs
Practical Training Employment: This includes two types of employment: Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT). Both are dependent upon your studies and tie to the information that you’re learning in school. Practical Training employment must fit within USCIS guidelines. Both OPT and CPT are connected to a potential extension (for which students must apply) that allows students to extend the duration of their OPT or CPT.
These types of jobs must be worked within the strict guidelines set forth by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and are dependent upon students’ continued enrollment in college classes. In other words, if you are in the U.S. through an F-1 visa or other student visa, you must continue to be a student while you’re working.
You may also be able to file for extreme economic hardship through the USCIS. This option is mostly available to students who can prove they face extreme economic hardship. This option allows students to work a greater number of hours each week and to secure employment during extended seasonal breaks. Another option for international students is to work with an international organization. Certain international organizations will enable students to secure working visas as long as they continue to be employed by the organization.
Finding a Job in the United States
International students can most easily find employment opportunities through their college or universities’ employment or international student offices. Such offices can guide international students to resources that are more likely to fit within the guidelines of the USCIS. They can also often times direct international students to on-campus, OPT, and CPT employment opportunities.
Students can also find employment through local newspapers, employment agencies, and online resources such as craigslist. Remember that the most important component of finding a job is that your find one that doesn’t violate the boundaries of your student visa.
Applying for Jobs in the United States
To apply for a job in the United States, you will typically need to submit an application, cover letter, and resume to an organization that’s hiring. An application is a form that asks a series of questions designed to collect:
Personal information such as your name, address, resident status, etc.
An overview of your work history and basic skills
Information pertinent to the job at hand that helps the employer recognize whether or not you’re qualified for the job
Once you’ve been hired for a job, your employer will likely keep your application on file so that he or she has a record of your personal information and work history. If you’re not hired, your application will likely be filed for later job opportunities, shredded, or thrown away. Your resume is a document that details the information you would like your potential employer to have. Your resume should share with your potential employer all of the information that he or she needs to have in order to make a decision about hiring you. A cover letter is a letter that you use to introduce yourself and briefly explain why you are applying for the job. Recommended formats for cover letters can be found online.
Once a potential employer reads your application, cover letter, and resume, he or she may decide to interview you. Show up to your interview dressed nicely with a copy of your resume in hand. Be prepared to discuss the organization, your reasons for applying for the job, and what you can contribute to the organization. Show up early or on time.
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