EMPLOYER TALKING POINTS
For international students seeking co-op employment
This document has three sections:
I. Terms and definitions. | Benefits of hiring an international student.
II. Words and phrases for students to use WHILE a Michigan Tech student seeking a cooperative education partnership with an employer. The bolded statements are the main points, with details or sub points in bullets.
III. Words and phrases for use AFTER graduating from Michigan Technological University University
SECTION I
Terms and definitions
CPT curricular practical training – while a co-op student
DSO designated school official
EAD employment authorization document
OPT optional practical training – after graduation
The benefits to an employer of hiring an international student:
- Help increase the diversity of your workforce
- Bring a variety of ideas and perspectives to your team
- Enhance cross-cultural understanding and communication
- Assist employers that are experiencing a STEM talent gap.
SECTION II - Words and phrases for students to use WHILE at Michigan Tech.
I am legally authorized to work in the US.
I am sponsored by Michigan Technological University.
My co-op employer does not need to assist me regarding work authorization.
For a cooperative education work term, I will apply for, and work under, the CPT program.
- My employer only needs to provide an official letter confirming a job offer. It needs to include: work start and end dates, my job title, supervisor name, location of employment and hours I will work. The dates need to follow the schedule published on the MTU career services website.
- Under CPT rules I may work full-time for up to 364 days in total.*
- My Michigan Technological University designated school official will maintain my student record, and update my employment information in the government student and exchange visitor information system (SEVIS).
- * If I work more than 364 days/12 months of full time CPT (over 20 hours per week), I will not be eligible for OPT after graduation.
SECTION III
After graduating from Michigan Tech, I may be hired full-time - without H1B sponsorship - under optional practical training (OPT) employment authorization.
- I will continue to work with my Michigan Technological University designated school official.
- I may apply for OPT as early as 90 days before graduation.
- An employer has no responsibility in the application process.
- I would wait to start work until after I receive my employment authorization document (EAD).
- Since a social security number alone is not sufficient proof of work authorization, I would confirm my work authorization prior to an employment start date to prevent any liability for my employer and complete the I-9 process when employment begins.
As an F-1 student on a regular period of OPT, I may apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension.
- I would qualify for an additional 24 months of OPT because:
- I was currently participating in a regular period of OPT.
- I received a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) degree at an undergraduate level or higher, and seek a training opportunity related to this degree.
- I received a qualifying STEM degree from a currently accredited SEVP-certified college or university.
- I would work with my designated school official (DSO) to complete the required forms.
- An employer has some responsibility in the application process. Specifically, my employer would work with me on completing the I-983 training plan form.
Given a STEM OPT extension, I could work for up to three years beyond my Michigan Tech program without sponsorship by the company.
- Employer responsibilities during STEM OPT:
- Complete and certify form I-983, which includes preparing a training plan for the student
- Implement training plan:
- report on the student’s progress at the midpoint and end of the 24 months.
- complete and sign student’s self-evaluation
- Report to student’s DSO any material changes to or deviations from an existing form I-983
- Report a student’s departure from, or the termination of student’s practical training, to designated school official
- Report noncompliance to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
My employer could apply for an H-1B visa on my behalf during the three-year OPT period.
- Employer responsibility: to file the H-1B petition on behalf of the international employee.
- Each fiscal year, for-profit companies are granted 65,000 H-1Bs for candidates who have completed undergraduate degrees.
- Timeline: employers wishing to file an H-1B petition must first submit the name of the individual during a registration period in March. USCIS then conducts a lottery of all registrations received. If their beneficiary was selected, the employer will then have a 90-day period beginning April 1 to file a complete H-1B petition on behalf of its beneficiary.
- There are other ways employers can file for an H-1B visa, and it depends on the situation.
- Michigan Tech advises students to either work with their hiring company and/or an immigration attorney.
Information adapted from:
https://www.ice.gov/sevis/practical-training