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International Student and Scholar Services

Employment While on STEM Extension

If you applied for your STEM Extension in a timely fashion, your OPT EAD card is considered automatically extended for 180 days. You can continue to work for up to 180 days after your current EAD card expiration, while your STEM Extension application is pending with USCIS.

Any job you take while on STEM must be:

  • a paid position (volunteer and unpaid work is not permitted)
  • at least 20 hours/week
  • with an E-Verify employer
  • directly related to your STEM degree
  • based upon an employer-employee relationship
    • Self-employment not permitted: a student cannot be both the employer and the employee completing Form I-983.
    • The employer who signs the Form I-983 must be the same entity providing the training.
    • The person supervising and providing the training cannot be an employee/contractor of the employer's client/customer.

If you change jobs while on STEM, you must report the change to ISSS within 10 days (see the Reporting Requirements section for further details).

While on STEM Extension, you cannot exceed 150 days of unemployment for the entire 36 months (12 months of OPT + 24 months of STEM). Staying past the 150-day limit may be considered a violation of status by DHS and may result in the termination of your SEVIS record.