How To Convert Student Visa To Work Permit In Usa
The American government has a number of visas that an international student can apply for. Some of them are popular like the F1 (student visa) while others are not so well known. One such visa is the OPT or Optional Practical Training. It’s not very well known outside of the US. If you’re an international student in the US, you may want to convert your student visa to work permit. In this article, we’ll touch on why you should do it and what steps to follow to get it done.
Did you know you can work on a student visa in USA? Did you know it is possible to convert a non-work visa or green card holder to work permit holder? Did you know that as a student, you don’t need any additional degree or skills to get work? All this and much more will be discussed in this hefty guide.
On September 18, 2015, USCIS will start receiving applications from the foreign student who are required to convert from the F-1 visa to H-1B visa in order to work for US companies. Furthermore, Under the Law, it is stated that the foreign student has to be enrolled in a full time degree program at a accredited institution before applying for work permit with USCIS. As such, this information aims to familiarize and empower international students as to when they may legally apply for conversion.
How To Convert Student Visa To Work Permit In Usa
As students come to the end of their studies and realize how much it costs to live in the US, many become interested in working part-time. As a general rule, the SEVP Program assumes that an F-1 student who changes status and/or engages in employment is no longer maintaining his or her lawful nonimmigrant status. Depending on the applicable situation, however, it is possible for students to change their nonimmigrant status from F-1 (student) to H-1B (employment) or L-1A/B (employment) while remaining in the U.S.
In 2005, The United States Congress passed a bill that granted students a two year F1 Visa (Foreign student visa) from their respective school. However there were also other strings attached to the bill which included being able to work 20 hours a week during this time period. This is referred to as the 20-hour work program and is used in conjunction with the F1 Visa.
The H-1b visas are non-immigrant US visas, specifically meant for specialty occupations. This visa is obtained by employers, and if you want to apply for this visa it means that your employer has extended you a job offer for a position in which your skills are considered to be in high demand.