Transferring from OPT to old H1B

[ybhagde]

Good morning. I was on H1B status from October 2008 scheduled to end in September 2011. In January 2011, I quit work to pursue graduate school. I went back to my home country in January 2011 and came back in April 2011 on an F-1 student visa.

 

Since then, I graduated from grad school in December 2012 and have been on an OPT starting in January 2013 and scheduled to end in December 2013. Prior to my first H1B which started in October 2008, I was on F-1 visa from 2003-2007 and then on an OPT from mid-2007 to October 2008. Both my Bachelors and Masters were in separate fields and hence I have gotten OPT's both after my Bachelors (IT) and Masters (Politics).

 

After having some trouble looking for work in my new field (Politics), I got a job in a company where I will be working with data in an IT role. My question is that if I still have approximately 8 months remaining on my first H1B (October 2008-January 2011, Jan' 2011-Sept' 2011 not used), can I use the remaining 8 months on my H1B before applying for the extension 3 years (out of total 6)? I will be moving from OPT in my new field (Politics) to H1B in my old field (IT). I will start working for my new employer in an IT role only upon receipt from USCIS that they have received my petition for an H1B transfer. 

 

Please let me know your thoughts.