Work Authorization in the U.S. · The American Dream Society

Work Authorization in the U.S.

Hi Society,

I get asked about this a lot, and while I have a module dedicated to this topic in the Classroom section, here's a quick overview of ways that international students can work in the U.S.:

Here are the most common types of work authorization, and a couple things to consider about each type.

On-Campus Employment

This is the easiest type of employment to get in terms of the approval process. If your school hires student workers, then you can work one of these jobs with no special permission so long as the employment is no more than 20 hours per week. Examples of on-campus employment include working in the campus bookstore, in the cafeteria, etc. While a great option for many, the drawbacks are that these positions tend to be relatively low-paying, and smaller schools may not have as many open positions.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

CPT is a great option at schools that offer it, but not all schools do. CPT allows for employment that provides a practical learning element to the student’s program of study. In other words, it allows international students to work a job that’s directly related to their program so they can get some real-world experience to supplement their academic learning. Again, not all schools offer this, and many that do require students to complete an academic year before they can get CPT approval, so plan ahead and don’t just expect to walk off the airplane and immediately get CPT approval.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Similar to above, OPT allows international students to work off-campus in a position that’s directly related to their program of study. The major difference is that OPT is approved by the United States Customs & Immigration Service (USCIS), not the school, which means that the approval process requires an application fee and can take about 90 days to process. There are other considerations to take into account as well. If you apply for Pre-Completion OPT, meaning OPT while you are still a student, you cannot work more than 20 hours per week, and every month of Pre-Completion OPT reduces your total OPT eligibility. International students are eligible for 12 months on OPT, so if you do 3 months of Pre-Completion OPT, then you’d only be eligible for 9 months of Post-Completion OPT (which can be full-time).

Economic Hardship

Another option that is approved by USCIS, Economic Hardship may be an option for students experiencing an unexpected change in their financial situation. The eligibility requirements are strict, and include extenuating circumstances such as a drastic change in the exchange rate of your home currency to U.S. dollars, an unexpected change in the financial situation of your sponsor, etc. Economic Hardship also requires an application fee and about 90 days of processing time, and an international student must complete at least one academic year in order to be eligible to apply.

(I know- they’re asking you to schedule when your financial crisis occurs… It doesn’t make sense, but unfortunately that’s how the U.S. government works sometimes.)

Other Status

There are a few other work authorizations available to students from specific countries through special designations such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Special Student Relief (SSR), U-visas, etc. The situations are too specific to go into detail here, but for an example, the government allowed for SSR in cases of natural disasters, wars and military conflicts, and national or international financial crises.

Any questions? Let me know below! 👇

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