Below is
a special announcement from the ISSO at UNC Charlotte which further
clarifies the ‘new’ reporting requirements for F1 students while on
post-completion Optional Practical Training.
1. If you have not
already done so, please send the name, address and start date of your
current employer via email to
intlsso@uncc.edu .
The International Student/Scholar Office is the ‘DSO’ mentioned below.
2. If you have changed
your visa category and are no longer in F1 status, please notify our office
of that new status by sending us a copy of your receipt notice stating the
new category. It is critical that this information be collected and
updated.
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DHS May Terminate Records for Unemployment
SEVP Policy OPT Guidance [7.4.3] says that, "ICE/SEVP may examine SEVIS
data for an individual, a selected group, or all students on post-completion
OPT and terminate a student's record if it fails to show the student
maintained the proper period of employment. In such cases, the student will
be given an opportunity to show that he or she complied with all OPT
requirements, including maintaining employment."
Since ICE and other agencies may be looking
in SEVIS for information, SEVP encourages students to report employer
information so that the DSO can update SEVIS.
F-1 status is Dependent upon Employment
Under the changes to the
OPT
regulations effective April 8, 2008, "F-1 status
is dependent upon employment." Students on regular post-completion OPT and
students who have OPT extended due to the cap gap provisions are subject to
a 90 day limit on unemployment, and
students who receive a 17-month STEM OPT
extension are only given an additional 30 days of unemployment for a
total of 120 days over their entire post-completion OPT period.
Note also that a student is subject to inquiry in any situation in which
s/he comes into contact with a DHS or
State Dept. official, including a visa interview, admission at a port of
entry, or application/petition filed with USCIS. Since F-1 status is
dependent upon employment, a student may be asked to provide evidence that
s/he was employed if the information is not available in SEVIS.
If you have specific questions, please also let us know.
Yours truly,
Marian Beane, Director
Denise Medeiros, Assistant Director
