Work Permit in the US

Hili đang apply cho cái Work Permit, chẳng biết có được không, nhưng cứ post thông tin xin work permit lên đây để nếu có bạn nào cần thì biết luôn, để khỏi phải như Hili, phải đi hỏi lung tung và mỏi mắt trên Google để tìm. Những thông tin ở đây Hili lấy từ Columbia University (vì trường đó nhiều sv quốc tế nên họ rất dành về cái này).

Work Opportunities for Students in F-1 Status

The following is a list of all opportunities to obtain authorization to work in the United States if you are in F-1 immigration status. Each category may allow for authorization under different circumstances and at different times during your stay in the U. S. This is a summary of work benefits but does not include all regulations governing employment

On-Campus Work for Students in F-1 Status
If you are a student in F-1 student status , you may be eligible to work on campus. On-campus employment means simply that you are paid by the University, location with an employer that is providing services to students, such as the Bookstore. Students whose funding is personal or from family will receive permission if they are maintaining satisfactory academic performance.

During academic terms (early September to mid-May), on-campus work may total 20 hours per week, including work that is part of your financial aid or merit award. Off-campus work is counted toward the term-time limitation of 20 hours per week. During your annual vacation (usually mid-May to early September) and the intersession (approximately the last week of December through the third week of January), on-campus work may be full-time, provided you intend to register at the school in the semester following the break.

At least three days before you begin work, bring your passport, I-94 card, I-20 and, if required, a financial sponsor letter or letters (see below) to the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO). You will need these documents to complete the Form I-9, a U.S. government document verifying employment eligibility for every newly-hired individual. The I-9 is required for University payroll processing. When an ISSO staff member has completed the University''''s portion of the I-9, it will be given to you to give to your employing department or office.

If you receive one or more of the sources of support listed below, please note the con***ions and procedure corresponding to the type of funding and, if necessary, obtain each financial sponsor''''s written approval to work on campus in ad***ion to receiving their funding

OFF-CAMPUS WORK BASED ON FINANCIAL NEED FOR STUDENTS IN F-1 STATUS

A student in F-1 status experiencing extreme financial difficulties which were unforeseen when beginning the academic program may be able to apply for off-campus work permission from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). With DHS permission, it is possible to work up to twenty hours a week during the academic year and full-time during the summer and vacation periods.

To apply, you must have been in F-1 status for at least one full academic year and must be a degree candidate in good academic standing. In your application, you must establish and document the fact that unforeseen changes that severely affect your financial resources have occurred.

It is very important that you consider carefully any other options available to you, such as work on campus or loans. The DHS requires that you make a good faith attempt to obtain work on campus and information is available on this site and at the International Students and Scholars Office. You should also inquire at the ISSO about practical training. For information on loans, see your financial aid office.

You should be aware that your application for work permission may have an impact on your eligibility to obtain travel documents as these documents normally require that you show sufficient funds to cover your expenses. Before making plans to leave the country, be sure you discuss your situation with an ISSO advisor. Also, if you travel outside the U.S. while your application is pending, DHS will consider that you have abandoned your request for off-campus work permission and you will be required to reapply.

Procedure: The ISSO cannot authorize work permission - only the DHS can do so. Proof of DHS work authorization is in the form of an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). You cannot begin employment until you have been issued this card. Your first step in obtaining an EAD is to qualify for a certification from the ISSO recommending you for work permission.

Step 1: Submit to the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) the documentation listed below.

Completed financial worksheet (see below)
A letter explaining:
a) the unforeseen changes in your financial circumstances that arose since your entry into the United States. It is also very important that you explain why your parent, relative, organization, or other sponsor listed on your I-20 is unable to furnish the ad***ional funds needed to cover your expenses. Please be specific.
b) how you have tried to obtain work through all other available work options. DHS requires that you make a good faith effort to obtain work on campus.
Documentation of the unforeseen changes explained above (e.g., medical bills, letter revoking scholarship, drastic drop in your currency''''s exchange rate, etc.) The International Students and Scholars Office will:

Review your application for eligibility
If you are eligible, update your SEVIS record with a recommendation for employment
Provide you with the Form I-765 application for the EAD

Step 2: You must mail your application for the DHS Service Center having jurisdiction over your place of residence. Be sure to include the following documents:

Completed Form I-765 and the required $175 fee - a bank check or money order made payable to the Department of Homeland Security. A personal check is acceptable only if your name and address are preprinted on the front. The DHS does not accept cash.
Two recent photos. The USCIS requires that the photos meet the specifications for the full frontal/passport type of photos and not be more than 30 days old when the applications is filed. For more information on photo standards, visit the Department of State website at http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/pptphotos/index.html. A convenient photo center nearby, called "Fotorush", is located on 112th and Broadway.
Letter of explanation and documentation of your financial circumstances
Photocopies of both sides of the current I-20 and all previously issued I-20s
Photocopies of the identification pages of your passport and your I-94 (Do not send your passport or your original I-94 card)
You should send your application to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, by certified mail, return receipt requested or by a courier service so that you have a proof of delivery. Keep copies of all documents sent with your application.

The DHS will send you a Form I-797 Notice of Receipt with the case number assigned to your application. Processing time for your EAD issuance will vary. If your application is approved, the DHS will mail the card directly to you.

Once you receive the EAD you may work at any off-campus job up to twenty hours a week during the academic year and full-time during vacation periods. You may not assume that once DHS grants work permission based on unforseen economic hardship that they will approve it for subsequent years. The DHS grants this type of work authorization in one-year increments. In ad***ion, authorization ends when the need for employment ceases, when you cease to be in F-1 status, or when you transfer from one school to another.

DHS regulations provide that if an employment application has not been processed within 90 days from the date of receipt, the applicant go to the District Office for "interim employment authorization" valid up to 240 days. Please contact the ISSO if you have not received notification within the 90 day period.


Paid Internship with an International Organization for Students in F-1 Status

Students who are in F-1 status are eligible to work part-time during the academic year and full-time during vacation periods for international organizations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, etc. Authorization is granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with the recommendation of the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) or the Immigration Affairs Office (IAO).

Definition: A part-time or full-time paid internship with a defined international organization.

Procedure: The ISSO cannot authorize an internship with an international organization - only the DHS can do so by issuing you an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). You cannot begin employment until you have been issued this card. Your first step in obtaining an EAD is to qualify for a certification from the ISSO recommending you for the internship.

Step 1: Submit the following documentation to the ISSO as early as 90 days before you wish to begin employment:


Your current I-20
Your passport and I-94 card
Letter from the international organization on the organization''''s letterhead certifying:
a) the specific internship opportunity and a description of the duties
b) the dates of employment
c) the place of employment
d) whether the employment is fulltime or part time
e) that the proposed employment is within the scope of the organization''''s sponsorship
The International Students and Scholars Office staff will:


Review your application for eligibility
If you are eligible, update your SEVIS record with a recommendation for employment with an international organization
Issue a new I-20 with ISSO''''s recommendation for employment and a recertification signature
Provide you with the Form I-765 application for the EAD

Step 2: We suggest that you mail your application to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services by certified mail, return receipt requested. This will provide you with proof that your application was timely in the event the application is lost. We also recommend that you photocopy the entire application before you mail it so you have a copy for your records. So that the documents do not get lost, put the photos in a small envelope and label as "photos" and staple all pages together, being careful not to staple the photos. Include the following documents in your applications:


Completed form I-765 and the required $175- a bank check or money order made payable to the Department of Homeland Security. A personal check is acceptable only if your name and address are preprinted on the front. The DHS does not accept cash.
Photocopy of both sides of the I-20 bearing an ISSO adviser''''s recommendation for the internship. Do not send the original.
Two recent photos of yourself. The DHS will not adjudicate the application if the photos do not comply with specific guidelines as outlined on the I-765 instructions, part 3. These are not passport photos, but instead feature the right ear in a three-quarter front profile. Do not staple photos.
Photocopies of both sides of any previously issued EAD cards
Photocopies of the identification pages of your passport and both sides of your I-94 card
Mail your applications to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services office with jurisdiction over your proposed place of employment (see the form I-765)

You may bring the completed application to the ISSO, if you would like an adviser to review it before you mail it to the DHS.

Step 3: The DHS either will send the EAD card to the address indicated on the I-765 form, or notify you to pick your card up at the DHS District Office. If you are instructed to claim your card, you must go in person to the DHS District Office with jurisdiction over your place of employment. In New York City, this is the DHS Office at 26 Federal Plaza. Bring your passport with you as identification when you go to pick up your card.

Processing time: DHS normally takes six to twelve weeks to return the EAD. DHS regulations provide that, in the event an employment application has not been processed within 90 days of the receipt notice, the applicant will be granted "interim employment authorization". Interim employment authorization is valid for 240 days or until DHS has processed the original request for an EAD, whichever is earlier. If you have not received a response within 90 days of your application, please contact the ISSO for information about interim employment authorization.

The advisers of the ISSO encourage you to contact them if you have any questions about the procedure or if you receive any correspondence about your application. Students whose immigration documents were processed by the Immigration Affairs Office on the Health Sciences campus should contact the IAO for specific procedures


Practical Training Overview for Students in F-1 Status

One of the important benefits of the F-1 student status is practical training (PT), which allows you to apply for temporary employment in your field of study. Practical Training is a privilege of F-1 status for which some F-1 students may qualify; it is not an entitlement of F-1 status. It may be available to F-1 students both before and after completing a course of study. The objective of practical training employment is not financial?"rather, it is to provide the opportunity for the practical application of your academic studies. There are three other types of employment under F-1 immigration status which allow for employment of up to a total of 20 hours per week during the academic term and fulltime during the summers which may be more appropriate for you. If you find that practical training does not apply to your circumstances, please refer to International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) information on F-1 on-campus employment and F-1 off-campus employment based on financial need.

Getting permission to work is only one part of the process - to engage in practical training, you will need to find a job related to your field of study. If you need help in your job search, take advantage of all the resources available to you: the Center for Career Education or your school''''s placement office, your faculty adviser, other faculty and friends in your division or department, newspapers or professional journals, and so on.

Practical Training Information will detail the following categories of practical training:


Curricular practical training (before completion of your studies)


Optional practical training, available in the following variations:


optional practical training after completion of your studies


optional practical training before completion of your studies:


practical training during the annual vacation


practical training after completion of all course requirements for the degree except the thesis or equivalent, or


practical training while school is in session, provided that employment does not exceed 20 hours per week


This information should answer most of your questions on practical training. If you have ad***ional questions regarding PT, you may wish to attend the F-1 Employment Information Sessions offered by the ISSO. Naturally, if you still have questions about practical training - or you need the information before the seminars are offered - you may drop by the ISSO. Students whose immigration documents were processed by the Immigration Affairs Office on the Health Sciences campus should contact the IAO for specific procedures.


Hope that it helps everyone!