We just had a first-time O-1A petition approved without RFE by the California Service Center for a recently graduated microbiome scientist on STEM-OPT.
On July 12, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security added eight new degree fields to the F-1 STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program in hopes of appealing to foreign STEM…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended premium processing to certain I-765 applications filed by F-1 students pursuing Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT.
Changing your status does not automatically give you a new visa. It is important to understand the consequences of change-of-status applications on the ability to travel internationally and at what…
Let’s analyze the following scenario: You are currently in the U.S. working for Company X on your post-completion OPT. Your work authorization card is expiring on July 15 and you…
If you are currently in the U.S. working on a post-completion OPT or if you graduated university and you are currently looking for a job related to your field of…
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that permits a company to hire workers in specialty occupations. There are a limited number of H-1B petitions that USCIS can adjudicate every year (65,000 Regular…
Let’s analyze the following scenario: You were in the U.S. on a post-completion OPT and found an employer willing to sponsor you for an H-1B visa. The employer filed an…
If you are studying in the U.S. as a full-time student at an accredited college or university on an F-1 visa, you may be interested in getting a job on…
Let’s analyze the following scenario: You are in the U.S. on F-1 OPT status and you are working for an employer. During the cap season, your employer files an H-1B…
In May 2018, USCIS quietly changed the rules for offsite STEM OPT workplace placement on its website that disallowed STEM OPT students from being placed with a third party. For…
For many foreign nationals who travel to the United States to study and earn a bachelor’s degree in the fields of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (“STEM”), the 24-month extension…