Employment options as F1 student

[aminamas]

Hi 

 

I am an F1 student here in US for the past 1 and a half year and have been offered a full time  job. I am still enrolled in college and my possible graduation is in Spring 2016. I applied for CPT from my college but am allowed to work only part time . I have discussed this with my International coordinator and she said that college only offers part time permission to international students for CPT. Is that the case? I have searched alot and found that CPT can be full time .Any information regarding that will be appreciated and if that is the case what are my other options to work full time? 

Its a once in life time opportunity and I dont want to lose it . So any help and solution regarding the issue will be highly appreciated.

 

Regards 

Amina 

[JoeF]

That looks like abuse of CPT.

CPT is ONLY for work as integral part of the curriculum.

It is NEVER for work in some arbitrary job.

Concentrate on studying, not on working.

And "once in a lifetime opportunities" don't really exist.  You'll find other "once in a lifetime opportunities." And if the company really wants you, they would offer you a job when you graduate.

Abuse of CPT like what you seem to be doing will kill your career in the US. The first victim would be your "once in a lifetime opportunity"...

[jairichi]

CPT can never be full time and CPT has to be an integral part of curriculum. Is your CPT in those lines? If not, by taking this CPT you are planning to end your career in US. Apart from asking your international coordinator talk to a good immigration attorney about it.

[livliv]

While the school is in session you can only work part-time. F1 is primarily for studying not for working.

[rahul412]

Forget CPT, there are no employment options for F1 before getting the degree. F1 is for students not for full time employees.

[giri26]

Hi 

 

I am an F1 student here in US for the past 1 and a half year and have been offered a full time  job. I am still enrolled in college and my possible graduation is in Spring 2016. I applied for CPT from my college but am allowed to work only part time . I have discussed this with my International coordinator and she said that college only offers part time permission to international students for CPT. Is that the case? I have searched alot and found that CPT can be full time .Any information regarding that will be appreciated and if that is the case what are my other options to work full time? 

Its a once in life time opportunity and I dont want to lose it . So any help and solution regarding the issue will be highly appreciated.

 

Regards 

Amina 

You cannot work full time on F1 visa. F1 visa is for full time studies and not for full time work. Please take the advice of your DSO and don't try to cut corners as it will end your immigration hopes in the US.

[optimistix]

Full time CPT is allowed under some university Coop programs. The university can provide registration credits to F1-Students to maintain full time status while on the job. I did a full time coop with a company through the university CPT program while taking one course online, I was at the fag end of my program though. It helped me complete my thesis faster due to the synergies gained from industry data and commercial tools. They even paid for the courses I took while on the Coop. The Coop program needs to be integrated with the university though. It varies from university to university, So if your university says NO, then they do not have an integrated program.

 

[JoeF]

Full time CPT is allowed under some university Coop programs. The university can provide registration credits to F1-Students to maintain full time status while on the job. I did a full time coop with a company through the university CPT program while taking one course online, I was at the fag end of my program though. It helped me complete my thesis faster due to the synergies gained from industry data and commercial tools. They even paid for the courses I took while on the Coop. The Coop program needs to be integrated with the university though. It varies from university to university, So if your university says NO, then they do not have an integrated program.

 

CPT is only allowed if it is an integral part of the curriculum.

While a university could require fulltime CPT for a particular class, the person still has to maintain the full course load as required by the F1.

And that means realistically, full-time CPT is not possible while classes are in session.

And for internships during summer recess, there is pre-completion OPT.

What the OP tries to do looks like CPT abuse. That will kill his future in the US.

[aminamas]

That looks like abuse of CPT.

CPT is ONLY for work as integral part of the curriculum.

It is NEVER for work in some arbitrary job.

Concentrate on studying, not on working.

And "once in a lifetime opportunities" don't really exist.  You'll find other "once in a lifetime opportunities." And if the company really wants you, they would offer you a job when you graduate.

Abuse of CPT like what you seem to be doing will kill your career in the US. The first victim would be your "once in a lifetime opportunity"...

Yes Joe , it is an integral part of my curriculum otherwise it would have never been approved . I am in touch with the company too , and they are really accommodating so far . I just wanted to know the options available incase nothing i know of works out. 

Thanks for your reply, I really appreciate that.

[aminamas]

Thank you everyone for your replies . I really appreciate that. I was trying to thank everyone individually but the forum has a limited criteria for that so can't . 

Anyways Thank you .

 

Regards

[jairichi]

Yes Joe , it is an integral part of my curriculum otherwise it would have never been approved . I am in touch with the company too , and they are really accommodating so far . I just wanted to know the options available incase nothing i know of works out. 

Thanks for your reply, I really appreciate that.

My suggestion will be to talk to a good immigration attorney with specifics of your case. Mere assurance from your school or employer is not the best way to go forward with regard to CPT.

[JoeF]

Yes Joe , it is an integral part of my curriculum otherwise it would have never been approved . I am in touch with the company too , and they are really accommodating so far . I just wanted to know the options available incase nothing i know of works out. 

Thanks for your reply, I really appreciate that.

 

If it is an integral part of the curriculum, if the curriculum does not specify a full-time CPT requirement, you won't get any full-time CPT.

In general CPT is a big red flag nowadays, due to abuse by shady universities.

And your formulations, like you are "allowed to work only part time" indicate to me that this is not an integral part of the curriculum, but rather something people can choose to do.