Page 25 - Handbook for Employers - Guidance for Completing Form I-9

license) and under List C #8, Form I-94 indicating F-1 employment must be directly related to the student’s field
nonimmigrant status with a properly endorsed Form of study noted on Form I-20. The student must obtain an
I-20. The documents by themselves do not qualify. EAD from USCIS before they are authorized to work. The
student may not begin employment until the date indicated
An acceptable Form I-20 for CPT must have all on the EAD.
employment authorization fields completed. These fields
include employment status, employment type, start and The EAD establishes the student’s identity and
end date of employment, and the employer’s name and employment authorization for Form I-9 purposes
location. and the employer should record the card number and
expiration date under List A in Section 2. When the
For the other types of employment available to certain student’s EAD expires, the employer must reverify the
foreign students, such as optional practical training student’s employment authorization in Section 3.
(OPT) employment authorization, STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), OPT F-1 STEM OPT Extension
extension, or off-campus employment based on severe
economic hardship, employment authorization must be An F-1 student who received a bachelor’s, master’s, or
granted by USCIS and will be evidenced by an EAD issued doctoral degree in science, technology, engineering,
by USCIS. or mathematics (STEM) from an accredited and SEVP-
certified school may apply for a 24-month extension of
Border commuter students who enter the United States their optional practical training (OPT). Employment
as an F-1 nonimmigrant may only work as part of their must be directly related to the student’s major area
curricular practical training or post-completion optional of study. The employer must be enrolled in and be in
practical training (OPT). good standing with E-Verify. The E-Verify company
identification number is required for the student to apply
M-1 students may only accept employment if it is part to USCIS for the STEM extension using Form I-765,
of a practical training program after completion of Application for Employment Authorization. A STEM
their course of study. . USCIS will issue the EAD with student may change employers or work at a different
authorization granted for a maximum period of six hiring site for the same employer, but the new employer
months of full-time practical training, depending on the or new hiring site must be enrolled in and be in good
length of the students’ full-time study. standing with E-Verify before the student begins their
STEM OPT with the new employer or hiring site.
Dependents of F-1 and M-1 foreign students have an
F-2 or M-2 status and are not eligible for employment The EAD issued to the F-1 STEM OPT student states
authorization. “STU: STEM OPT ONLY.” The following documents
establish a student’s identity and employment
Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students— authorization for Form I-9:
EAD Required • Unexpired EAD or

OPT provides practical training experience that directly • For certain instances where students have timely-
relates to an F-1 student’s major area of study. An F-1 filed Forms I-765 pending, an expired EAD
student authorized for OPT may work up to 20 hours presented with Form I-20 endorsed by the student’s
per week while school is in session and full-time (20 designated school official recommending a STEM
or more hours per week) when school is not in session. extension.
After completing their course of study, students also
may participate in OPT for work experience. USCIS may If the student presents an expired EAD and an endorsed
authorize an F-1 student to have up to 12 months of OPT Form I-20 recommending a STEM extension, the
upon completion of their degree program. Certain F-1 employer should enter the following information under
students may be eligible for an extension of their OPT, as
described below.

The designated school official must update Form I-20
to indicate OPT recommendation or approval. OPT

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