F-1 regulations require you to report any changes in your biographical and employment details to NJIT’s Office of International Students and Faculty (OISF) while on your 17-month STEM OPT extension 

You MUST report these changes within 10 days. 


Address Change

Please report any changes of local and permanent address by visiting Highlander Pipeline at http://my.njit.edu.


Name Change

Please go to http://www.njit.edu/registrar/forms/pdf/Name.pdf

1. Print "Request to Change Name" form

2. Complete form

3. Submit to OISF in person along with a copy of your passport showing your new name, or fax to (973) 596-5450


Employment Information

All employment information MUST be reported by visiting Highlander Pipeline at  http://my.njit.edu.  Select the "Student OPT Employment Information" link and complete all required fields.


Employment Information includes

Start date of employment

Employer name

Employer Address

Change from one OPT employer to a different OPT employer

Unemployment of more than 10 days

Employment end date (if you are unemployed for more than 10 days)

Change in worksite


Validation Report

Send to NJIT’s OISF a validation report every six months (even if there has been no change) starting from the date the STEM extension starts and ending when your F-1 status ends or the STEM extension ends, whichever is first.  The validation report must include your:

Full legal name

SEVIS ID  number

Current local  address in the U.S.

Name and address of the current employer

Date you began working for the current employer

Please send this report in an email from your NJIT e-mail account to opt@njit.edu  including “17-Month STEM OPT Extension Validation Report” in the subject line.


Employer Reporting Responsibilities

It is a mandatory requirement that the employer report the end date of your employment to NJIT’s Office of International Students and Faculty.  As outlined in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulation 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(4);

“The employer agrees to report the termination or departure of an OPT employee to the DSO at your school or through any other means or process identified by DHS if the termination or departure is prior to end of the authorized period of OPT. Such reporting must be made within 48 hours of the event. An employer shall consider a worker to have departed when the employer knows you has left the employment or if you has not reported for work for a period of 5 consecutive business days without the consent of the employer, whichever occurs earlier.”

The employer should provide your name, SEVIS ID number, date of birth , and the date that your  employment ended.

 The employer must send this information in an e-mail to opt@njit.edu including “17-Month STEM Employer Notification” in the subject line.  


Change in Immigration Status

Please send an email from your NJIT e-mail account to opt@njit.edu including “Change in Immigration Status” in the subject line.  Attach a copy of supporting evidence, for example Form I-797 approval notice.


Permanent Departure from U.S.

Please send an email from your NJIT e-mail  account to opt@njit.edu including “Permanent Departure from U.S.A.” in the subject line.  Please include your name, SEVIS ID #, NJIT ID #, and date of permanent departure.


Types of Employment

What types of employment are allowed for 17 month STEM OPT extension?

17-month STEM OPT employment must be in a paid position that is related to your STEM degree program. The employer MUST also be enrolled in E-Verify. (www.uscis.gov/E-Verify) and be a participant in good standing in the E-Verify program, as determined by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  If the employer is using a designated agent to perform the E-Verify queries, a valid E-Verify client company identification number is required.

This employment may include:

Multiple employers. You may work for more than one employer, but all employment

must be related to your STEM degree program and be with an E-Verify employer.


Unemployment

Students on 17 month STEM OPT extension  are limited to a maximum of  120 days of unemployment.  Please note that you may not accrue an aggregate of more than 120 days of unemployment during the total OPT period (29 months). This total OPT period includes the standard/initial post-completion OPT, 12 months and the subsequent 17- month OPT extension periods.

What counts as time unemployed?

You must report each day during your period of authorized standard/initial OPT when you do not have qualifying employment. The only exception is periods of up to 10 days between the end of one job and the beginning of the next job.  These days will not be included in the calculation for time spent unemployed.

What is the effect on your F-1 status if you exceed the period of unemployment?

If you have exceeded the period of unemployment while on post-completion OPT, you have violated your F-1 status unless you have taken one of the following actions:

• Applied to continue his or her education by a change of level or transferring to another SEVP-certified school

• Departed the United States

• Taken action to otherwise maintain legal status

How will DHS enforce this provision?

You may be denied future immigration benefits that rely on your valid F-1 status if DHS determines that you exceeded the limitations on unemployment.

Additionally, ICE/SEVP may examine SEVIS data for an individual, a selected group, or all students on post-completion OPT, including 17 month STEM OPT extension, and terminate your record, if it fails to show you maintained the proper period of employment. In such cases, you will be given an opportunity to show that you have complied with all OPT requirements, including maintaining employment.

How does travel outside the United States impact the period of unemployment?

• If your  approved period of OPT has started and you travel outside of the United States while unemployed, the time spent outside the United States will count as unemployment  against the 120-day limit.

• If you travel while employed (either during a period of leave authorized by an employer or as part of their employment), the time spent outside the United States will not count as unemployment.

Reminder:  You are required to report unemployment to NJIT’s OISF if you are unemployed for more than 10 days at http://my.njit.edu.


Documents to Keep

For each job, SEVP recommends that you maintain evidence of the following:

• position held

• proof of the duration (start and end date) of that position

• the job title

• contact information for your supervisor or manager

• and a description of the work

If it is not clear from the job description that the work is related to your degree, SEVP highly recommends that you obtain a signed letter from the employer’s hiring official, supervisor, or manager stating how your degree is related to the work performed.  NJIT’s OISF recommends that you also document authorized periods of vacation/leave, while employed.   Also, keep accurate records of all periods of unemployment.