H-1B visas available, at least until spring graduation
H-1B visas available, at least until spring graduation
Date: Sunday, May 03, 2009 7:46 PM
<<<<< JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER No. 2014 -- 5/03/2009 >>>>>
On April 27 the USCIS reported that 45,000 H-1B petitions that count towards
the cap have been received. That's an increase from the April 9 total of
42,000, which means that the USCIS is approving about 1,000 H-1B petitions per
week. According to the immigration attorney Shusterman it would stand to
reason that the cap won't reach its limit until September -- but he predicts
that the visas will run out much sooner. Shusterman is probably right -- read
the rest of this newsletter to find out why.
According to Shusterman there are hundreds of thousands of foreign students on
F-1 visas in the U.S. that will graduate from U.S. universities in June (his
number of F-1s might be too large). Many of those foreign students will try to
get jobs in the U.S. and if they do, they will need an H-1B visa. If visas are
still left by then they will go very fast as these students scramble to find
jobs.
So, what will these foreign students do if they can't get an H-1B visa?
Their best bet if they want to stay in the U.S. will be to apply for Optional
Practical Training (OPT). The OPT will allow them to work in the U.S. up to 29
months, and in the meantime they can apply for an H-1B or some other type of
visa like a green card.
Shusterman describes OPTs as a "fancy term for a one-year work permit."
OPT is a de facto H-1B visa that is unlimited in numbers and has no
requirements for employers to pay fair salaries or to consider American
graduate students first. From an employer's point of view an OPT is far more
desirable than an H-1B visa because it has so few regulations. The OPT is good
for 12 months but it can be extended for an additional 17 months (thanks to
Michael Chertoff). The 17 month extension applies for students in science,
technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.
Thanks to OPT, foreign students and U.S. employers don't have to fret if H-1B
visas reach the cap. In addition, Shusterman explains that a lot of these
graduates can get H-1B visas that are exempt from the cap, so again many of
them should have no trouble working in the U.S. on an H-1B visa.
The Seminole Chronicle in Orlando, Florida published an article with a good
example of what Shusterman is talking about. They interviewed an African
seminary student named Joel Katinde. He said that his long term plan is to
graduate from the seminary in May and then work for a year in an Optional
Practical Training program. He brought his wife and two sons to the U.S.
but left his 12 year old daughter behind in Africa due to lack of funds (yes,
another sob story!).
Not all foreign students stay in the U.S. -- the worsening job market is
making them rethink that strategy. The Ithacan online has a story about a
student from Bangladesh who figures she is probably better off career wise to
go back home. Vivek Wadhwa, who has been in the media a lot lately complaining
of growing American nativism, explains that the bad economy is responsible for
foreign students not staying. Usually Wadhwa blames protectionist attitudes in
the U.S. for the exodus of foreign graduates and loves to warn that it is
causing a huge brain drain from the U.S. Wadhwa must have been biting his
tongue in order to cease his usual complaining about protectionism. He
normally avoids the truth that foreign students could easily stay here with an
OPT if there were jobs waiting for them upon graduation.
There simply aren't enough jobs for all the students our schools are
graduating, but that simple fact almost always escapes notice from academics
like Vivek Wadhwa. Unfortunately "The Ithacan" never pointed out Wadhwa's
contradictory statements about the dearth of jobs for college graduates, or
his belly aching about Americans who think their offspring whould be first in
line for good jobs.
It's going to be tough going for American students to get internships and
jobs. Most of them won't have a clue why the job market is so bad beyond what
they hear about the economy in the news. Few people in the media are willing
to admit that allowing foreign students to compete in our job market is one of
the primary reasons for the gloomy prospects for today's grads.
In the Ithacan, Tanya Saunders, dean of the Division of Interdisciplinary and
International Studies at Lawrence University came just short of admitting that
foreign students are competing for scarce jobs when she
said:
"It s going to be more difficult for everybody, regardless of their
citizenship," Saunders said. "It s going to be just as difficult
for international students as it is for U.S. citizens in this
economic climate."
If this nation cared about its own university graduates, shouldn't the system
be gamed so that it's easier for domestic grads to find jobs than it would be
for foreign students? That's what nations do when they put a value on
citizenship.
Grace Kutney, a career technology specialist at the Lawrence University Career
Center, had a quote in the Phoenix Examiner that comes close but doesn't quite
go all the way in explaining what is happening. There seems to be agreement
that foreign students are no better or worse off than our graduates. Is that a
situation our nation should tolerate?
Given the current job market, the U.S. employment outlook for
international students and recent grads is indeed bleak. Under
"normal" circumstances, international students and recent
grads generally have to work harder than domestic students
when it comes to job searching. Along with the regular
challenges domestic students face, international candidates
are faced with the additional challenges of acquiring work
authorization in a timely manner; having few connections in
the U.S. from which to build their network; mastering the
English language; adjusting to new employment practices;
learning new cultural nuances; and convincing U.S.
employers of their value.
How many unemployed U.S. grads will find solace in the fact that they are on
an equal footing with students from Bangladesh or Africa?
Things are bad for college grads, but even worse for high school grads.
Competition from foreign born workers is the reason. To read about it go
here:
http://www.vdare.com/guzzardi/090501_vfl.htm
Good Luck High School Graduates! Obama Plans To Import 138,000 Workers A Month
To Take Your Jobs, by Joe Guzzardi
REFERENCES:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=6a7619857b7e0210VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e
7d696cfcd6ff110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD
USCIS Updates Count of FY2010 H-1B Petition Filings
http://www.ilw.com/articles/2009,0501-shusterman.shtm
Bloggings on Updates in Immigration Law
http://www.seminolechronicle.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2009/04/22/49ef7b69a08ec
Garage sale benefit aims to reunite family
http://theithacan.org/am/publish/news/200904_The_Dream_Deferred.shtml
The Dream Deferred
http://www.shusterman.com/
Law Office of Carl Shusterman
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http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=6a7619857b7e0210VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e
7d696cfcd6ff110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD
USCIS Updates Count of FY2010 H-1B Petition Filings
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced
April 27, 2009 an updated number of filings for H-1B petitions for the fiscal
year 2010 program.
USCIS has received approximately 45,000 H-1B petitions counting toward the
Congressionally-mandated 65,000 cap. The agency continues to accept petitions
subject to the general cap.
Additionally, the agency has received approximately 20,000 petitions for
aliens with advanced degrees; however, we continue to accept advanced degree
petitions since experience has shown that not all petitions received are
approvable. Congress mandated that the first 20,000 of these types of
petitions are exempt from any fiscal year cap on available H-1B visas.
For cases filed for premium processing during the initial five-day filing
window, the 15-day premium processing period began April 7. For cases filed
for premium processing after the filing window, the premium processing period
begins on the date USCIS takes physical possession of the petition.
USCIS will provide regular updates on the processing of FY2010 H-1B petitions.
Please see "Related Links" on the right side of this page.
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http://www.ilw.com/articles/2009,0501-shusterman.shtm
Bloggings on Updates in Immigration Law by Carl Shusterman Editor's note: Here
are the latest entries from Carl Shusterman's blog.
April 29, 2009
H-1B Advice for Students and Their Employers
USCIS statistics reveal that only 1,000 H-1B "cap-subject" petitions were
submitted each week during the second, third and fourth weeks of April.
See http://shusterman.com/toc-h1b.html#1
At this rate, there will be H-1Bs available until sometime in September.
However, I do not believe that this will be the case. Why not?
Because, there are hundreds of thousands of F-1 students in the U.S. Many of
these students will graduate from U.S. universities this June, and seek to
work in the U.S.
Regarding employment in the U.S., these students should consider the
following:
1. They may apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). This is a fancy term
for a one-year work permit. Under certain circumstances, the term of OPT may
be extended for an additional 17-months. See
http://shusterman.com/toc-student.html#3
2. If the student's job offer requires a university degree of the type that
he/she possesses and if the employer pays them at the prevailing wage, the
employer can petition them for H-1B status as soon as the student obtains the
required degree. Savvy employers will hire the student initially on OPT and
ask the USCIS to change the student's status to H-1B beginning on October 1,
2009.
Why should students seek H-1B status in 2009 if their OPT work permits are
valid until 2010?
The principle reason is that this year there are almost 20,000 H-1B slots that
are up for grabs. Last year, employers submitted so many H-1B petitions that
an individual's chance of obtaining H-1B status was only about 50%. The same
thing could happen in 2010 leaving many students high and dry.
I predict that the H-1B petition submissions will rise significantly in June.
Therefore, F-1 students who wish to work in the U.S. need to plan ahead.
When is a good time for their future employers to seek the approval of labor
condition applications and prepare H-1B petitions for submission to the USCIS?
A good time would be now.
Posted at 10:28 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink
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http://www.seminolechronicle.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2009/04/22/49ef7b69a08ec
Garage sale benefit aims to reunite family
By Amy K.D. Tobik
April 22, 2009
Joel Katinde has sadness in his voice as he describes having to leave his then
12-year-old daughter, Rachel, in Africa four years ago. A pastor in search of
enlightening the people of Tanzania, Katinde traveled more than 8,000 miles to
participate in the Master of Divinity Program at the Reformed Theological
Seminary in Oviedo.
His goal, he said, is to some day return to his home church and share his
knowledge with his community.
In October of 2007, Katinde was able to raise enough money to have his wife,
Esther, and two sons Andy, now 7 years old and Aurelius, now 14 years old,
join him here in Oviedo. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, he has
been unable to send for Rachel, who is currently in the care of an aunt.
Finding a way to become a family unit once again has become one of Katinde's
primary objectives.
The separation has been very difficult on the family, Katinde said. While they
have been able to communicate through cards and letters, talking by phone has
been limited because Rachel spends most of her time at boarding school.
"It is hard to not see Rachel," Katinde said. "It is not something you can say
is normal. It is because of circumstances that forced us to leave her.
We miss her and we have been praying for her. We would like to be together as
a family.
"We come from a culture where in most cases women have been left behind, and
that has been a big challenge because we had to leave her behind. It is not
because she is a woman, but because she is the oldest.
"We really want to have her here and make sure we are helping her achieve all
she wants to achieve in life and this would be one step in changing our
culture, so we are really committed to making sure she comes."
When Winter Springs resident Renee Fruhwirth, whose daughter attends Lawton
Elementary with Katinde's son, heard about the family's plight to reunite with
their now 16-year-old daughter, she jumped into action.
While the Katindes had raised $4,000 toward the cost of Rachel's visa, air
tickets and expenses, they needed an estimated $7,000.
"I learned about their situation over a year ago, but I didn't want to pry,"
Fruhwirth said. "Then my friend told me they only needed $3,000 more to get
their daughter here. It just seemed wrong having that information and not try
to help them.
"There is something very special about the Katinde family. You know when you
meet someone and they seem like a good solid, person? These are good people.
They have touched our hearts."
A few months ago, local residents Cherie Brinkman and Kate Jones joined
Fruhwirth in a letter-writing campaign directed at family and friends. They
raised more than $600 toward the expenses.
Since times are tough for many families during the current economy, Fruhwirth
said she wanted to find another avenue to raise funds without asking for cash
donations.
When she saw that her Winter Springs neighborhood, Barrington Estates, was
holding a community garage sale in April, she opted to organize a special sale
at her home with all proceeds benefiting the Katinde family.
Today, Fruhwirth can no longer squeeze her car into her garage. The space is
packed to the gills with all sorts of donated furniture, books, clothes and
toys.
"The response has been wonderful. People are really being very generous and
nice about giving me things, even furniture," Fruhwirth said. "I keep getting
more and more boxes. It warms your heart to see the reaction from people."
Katinde's long-term plan, Fruhwirth said, is to graduate from the seminary in
May and then work for a year in an Optional Practical Training program, which
will assist the family's tight budget.
"God willing, I plan to get another degree in social justice and community
development," Katinde said. "I think that will empower me with the skills to
work with the community. We come from (a) third world country where most of
the people are poor, and I want to work with them and help them improve their
living situation and make a better future."
"We are so thankful for the people getting involved and helping us to see we
are one community and we are one people ..." Katinde said. "We are not feeling
alone. We feel we have people who have understood our needs."
Fruhwirth said she hopes Katinde's story will broaden people's perspectives of
the world.
"I think it's an eye opener of what life is like in Africa and what this
family is going through to make it better for everybody," she said. "They are
sacrificing, and with their strong faith in God, they want to help their part
in the world."
"It does give hope after you see war and the gloom and doom with the economy -
there are people still trying to do the right thing, even when it's not easy,"
Fruhwirth said. "If everyone did this, the world would be so amazing. It shows
how a little bit can change a lot."
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http://theithacan.org/am/publish/news/200904_The_Dream_Deferred.shtml
NEWS | April 16, 2009
The Dream Deferred
In a global economic crisis, international students weigh their options
By Elizabeth Gormisky | Staff Writer
Two years ago sophomore Ashna Huq decided the U.S. would offer her an
incomparable education, a wealth of opportunity and social freedom. Now Huq
sees her dreams only partially realized.
Huq, an economics major, has been following the U.S. financial crisis with
concern as her hopes for living and working in the U.S. post-graduation have
faded. Huq has made the difficult decision to graduate a semester early and
return to her hometown, Dhaka, Bangladesh, because of her diminishing
prospects of finding work in America. Huq is not alone -- several of her
cousins, who also attend college in North America, are changing their plans.
"We all had thought that maybe we d stay here for a while," Huq said.
"But now we ve all decided that there s really no point."
Huq said she expects to be more successful in her job search at home.
"In Bangladesh having a degree from abroad can definitely hold quite a bit of
significance," Huq said.
Huq s circumstances reflect those of foreign students across the country.
A recent survey conducted by Harvard and Duke universities fellow and
researcher Vivek Wadhwa found that international students were less likely to
seek jobs in the U.S. this year. More than 1,200 students participated in the
survey via Facebook. The students responses indicated their waning hope in
the U.S. economy and increased concern for obtaining work visas
postgraduation.
"The results were distressing from a U.S. perspective," Wadhwa said. "The vast
majority of [the students] were talking about going back home, and they didn t
consider the United States to be the biggest land of opportunity anymore."
Sophomore Samwan Rob, also from Dhaka, Bangladesh, said the economy has made
his postgraduation plans uncertain.
"I m not sure whether I am going to stay after graduation given the economic
situation," Rob said. "I was planning to go home and work, but now I might opt
for grad school and use up the time until things get better."
Though he plans to finish his education at the college, Rob said living in the
U.S. has become difficult for him as the economic crisis has worsened and
spread to other countries. Rob said, in Bangladesh, the exchange rate is 1
U.S. dollar to about 70 Bangladeshi Taka, and his parents send him money
throughout the school year, even though he has a scholarship.
"The situation has gone global so it is affecting everywhere, including my own
country," Rob said.
Rob said the country s economic problems have also changed his perceptions of
the U.S.
"[The crisis] has definitely given me a bad vibe, and the economy here has
made people value their material possessions more than they should," Rob said.
Junior Alex Eliad, a native of Bucharest, Romania, said he applied for 20
summer internships in the U.S. and has not yet received an offer for a paid
position. Eliad said he cannot afford to work without compensation and will
decline the offers he received for unpaid internships.
"I m pretty sure if I had graduated a few years earlier it would have been
better for me," Eliad said.
Eliad said he is concerned he will be moving back home in a few weeks, if he
doesn t get a paid internship. He still intends to return and finish school at
the college.
Diana Dimitrova, director of International Student Services, said the college
is keeping a close eye on its foreign students but is unsure whether the trend
revealed in the survey will hold true for its students.
"I haven t seen a lot of people who are panicking or completely crestfallen,
even though it s hard to be overly enthusiastic about their prospects at this
time of year," Dimitrova said.
Dimitrova said her assessment of the international students at the college is
based on the number of students applying for Optional Practical Training
visas, which allow students to work in their major field of study for one year
after graduation. Dimitrova said this year s quantity of applications are
consistent with previous years, though the application
process only began April 1.
"The students have been realistic about networking in the U.S. and
internationally," Dimitrova said. "They ve looked at the possibility of
graduate school and applying wisely in terms of giving themselves options."
Larry Chambers, director of the Office of Student Financial Services, said the
college has increased financial aid offers to all new students but does not
plan to specifically increase aid to international students.
"We do recognize the challenges that international students face because of
the lack of funding services available to them," Chambers said.
"Unfortunately our resources are limited so we are not always able to respond
in a fashion that we wish we were able to."
Chambers said international students are hindered by their ineligibility for
domestic resources, like FAFSA, but the college assesses their financial need
and merit scholarships similarly to U.S. students.
Tanya Saunders, dean of the Division of Interdisciplinary and International
Studies, said the financial crisis makes securing employment problematic for
every student at the college.
"It s going to be more difficult for everybody, regardless of their
citizenship," Saunders said. "It s going to be just as difficult for
international students as it is for U.S. citizens in this economic climate."
Saunders also said the student s individual circumstances will be the largest
factors in their decisions.
"I don t think that going back to their home countries necessarily means that
they have a better chance of getting a job," Saunders said. "It depends on
what areas of study they re in and whether their home countries have
employment in that field."
Like Saunders, Huq said she recognizes the uncertainty of the world economy.
"It s a global recession," Huq said. "Even if I do want to go back home,
there s still some repercussions of the economic crisis."
Senior Tawanda Dzangare, from Harare, Zimbabwe, said the economic crisis has
not affected his experience in the U.S. Dzangare said he has received
postgraduation job offers from Microsoft and KPMG International accounting
firm.
"I did a lot of networking," he said. "That definitely helped me because my
name was already out there."
Dzangare said he attributes part of his success to the American education
system and the college.
"At the end of the day people, like myself, will have jobs when others don t,"
he said. "[The college] did a pretty good job of making me a better person and
a better candidate."
Dimitrova said despite the difficult circumstances for many of the
international students at the college, students should remain hopeful.
"The important thing is that people are keeping their spirits up,"
Dimitrova. "We all swim in the same sea of bad news."
As a student at the college, Huq said she has benefited from her American
experience more than just academically.
"I really value the kind of human interactions that I ve had here," Huq said.
"I wouldn t have had them anywhere else."
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http://www.examiner.com/x-828-Entry-Level-Careers-Examiner~y2009m4d18-How-to-navigate-the-job-market-as-an-international-student
How to navigate the job market as an international student April 18, 12:18 PM
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Over the past few months, I ve received many e-mails from international
students seeking advice about securing internships and entry-level jobs in the
U.S. So, I sat down with Grace Kutney, a career technology specialist at the
Lawrence University Career Center and career development blogger at Sweet
Careers, to answer their questions.
Heather Huhman: Report after report paints a bleak picture of the internship
and entry-level job market -- for U.S. citizens. Are international students
and recent graduates really out of luck?
Grace Kutney: Under "normal" circumstances, international students and recent
grads generally have to work harder than domestic students when it comes to
job searching. Along with the regular challenges domestic students face,
international candidates are faced with the additional challenges of acquiring
work authorization in a timely manner; having few connections in the U.S. from
which to build their network; mastering the English language; adjusting to new
employment practices; learning new cultural nuances; and convincing U.S.
employers of their value.
Moreover, the U.S. requires that international students work within their area
of study (except for on-campus jobs). So, if an international student is
majoring in politics but has an interest in art, he or she cannot simply
choose a paid internship at a gallery -- only an internship related to
government or politics would be allowed.
Given the current job market, the U.S. employment outlook for international
students and recent grads is indeed bleak. Fortunately, bleak does not mean
impossible. International candidates, however, must be aware of the challenges
they will face so they are able to plan their job search accordingly.
HH: What types of organizations are more likely to hire international students
and recent graduates?
GK: While the temptation may be to search for job postings with "big name"
employers, it is important to realize that international candidates will be
competing against numerous, highly qualified domestic candidates for these
positions. International students typically have better chances of finding
employment through the hidden job market. Further, it is not a sound use of
time or energy for international students to try to convince an employer to
hire them if the employer has specifically states that they will only
accept applications from U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
U.S. employers with operations in foreign countries and international
companies with U.S.-based offices may be more open to hiring international
students and recent grads. For example, a company with operations in the
Philippines may seek candidates who are fluent in both English and Tagalog,
and who have knowledge of Filipino culture and business practices. Many
college career centers will carry a three-volume directory called the
"Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries" as well as the
one-volume "Directory of Foreign Firms Operating in the United States."
These directories can help international students begin to develop a list of
possible employers with whom to begin networking.
U.S. companies that have a large domestic customer base from a particular
ethnic background may also be more open to hiring international students.
For example, when I lived on the West Coast, I noticed many employers wanting
native speakers of Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi and Farsi. These employers
included hospitals, law and engineering firms, as well as ad agencies and
human service organizations. By their nature, these types of organizations
will likely be found in larger cities, particularly on the coasts.
Higher education institutions are exempt from the H1B hiring cap, and
therefore may also be more likely to hire international students. Also exempt
from the cap are nonprofit research institutions, government research
institutions, and nonprofits formally affiliated with an exempt educational
institution. It is important to note, however, that some of these same
organizations, higher education institutions in particular, have been greatly
impacted by the economy and may have implemented hiring freezes.
HH: What is a step-by-step process international students and recent graduates
should follow to make it easier for U.S. companies to hire them?
GK: This can probably be an entire article by itself, but I will break it down
into 10 steps.
Step 1: International students need to begin the job search process as early
as possible, even as early as freshman year.
Step 2: It may sound obvious, but mastering the English language is an
essential step to ensuring employers don t overlook you.
Step 3: Identify the skills you already possess, the skills required by
employers in your chosen field and the gaps between the two. You should then
look for opportunities, through coursework, campus jobs, volunteer
opportunities, student leadership roles and internships to attain the missing
skills and develop the ones you already have. You can begin doing this soon
after starting college. The competition for internships is very fierce, so if
you are unable to secure internships, you might need to look for creative ways
to gain relevant experience. For example, look for research opportunities with
faculty at your school or at other institutions. You might also look for
related summer internships in your home country or in other countries,
depending on your situation and international work authorization.
Step 4: Network consistently with professionals in your field/industry and if
possible, begin networking with professionals in the geographic
location(s) where you intend to work. Most university career centers have
access to employer and alumni databases that can be useful tools in
identifying professionals with whom to network.
Step 5: Effective networking will require you to market your skills and
experiences. This is often a new, and rather uncomfortable, skill to learn for
international students. It s important to realize that not only is marketing
yourself acceptable, it s expected by U.S. employers. Marketing yourself does
not mean being boastful or arrogant; try to think of it more as identifying
the needs of an employer, finding ways that you fit those needs, and then
helping the employer see your fit. Again, this is best accomplished through
networking -- which is also an acceptable and expected practice. Part of
marketing yourself will also be to articulate to potential employers your work
authorization.
Most international students will be in the U.S. on an F-1 visa, which means
you will qualify for both Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional
Practical Training (OPT). CPT allows you to earn academic credit toward your
degree requirements in a job that is related to your field of study.
It can be a required part of your degree program or an elective. While there
is no limit to the total amount of CPT authorized, if you are authorized for a
total of 12 or more months of CPT, you will no longer be eligible for OPT. So,
I advise requesting for no more than 11 months and 29 days of full-time CPT to
be authorized.
OPT allows F-1 students to be authorized for temporary work in the U.S. for a
maximum of 12 months. OPT can be used while still a student
(pre-completion) or after graduation (post-completion). Most students choose
to use post-completion OPT so that they can have a full year of temporary work
authorization after graduation. Since U.S. rules and regulations can change
from year-to-year, it s important for you to meet early and often with you
school s international student advisor. For example, recent changes have
allowed an extension of 17-months for post-completion OPT for students in the
science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. You will need to
apply for OPT, and processing times can vary from year-to-year. Your
international student advisor will be the best resource for knowing when is
the best time to apply for OPT and what authorization start and end dates to
include on your application.
Knowing your work authorization options and being comfortable explaining these
options to potential employers is a key to successful job search.
Some employers may believe that hiring an international student is more
complicated for them than it really is. For example, for OPT, the employer
does not have to file any paperwork!
Step 7: Prepare strong, tailored risumis and cover letters. Review your
risumis and cover letters carefully to ensure there are no grammatical errors
or typos. Ask your career center staff, faculty, alums and even network
contacts to review your risumis.
Step 8: Interviews are where your ability to market your skills and
experiences will be especially useful; therefore, it is important to practice
your interviewing skills. Consider recording your practice interviews so that
you can more clearly see what areas of your interviewing may need revising.
Many college career centers offer the option of videotaping practice interview
sessions.
Step 9: Use social media tools, such as LinkedIn, VisualCV and Twitter, to
enhance your job search and networking.
Step 10: Once you have secured employment, begin talks about securing your H1B
visa as early as possible with your employer.
HH: Is there anything else you would like to add?
GK: International students should work closely with career center staff to
identify if there are any cultural habits, especially with regard to body
language, that may be off-putting or unusual to U.S. employers. For example,
many Asian cultures find it rude to make eye contact with a superior; averting
the eyes is a form of respect. However, U.S. employers expect candidates to
make eye contact, especially during interviews, networking events and
meetings. International students need to learn about these cultural nuances
early in their college careers.
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