OPT and STEM OPT HR Guide - Clean Start for HR and Managers

Why this matters: You will be asked if you can hire or keep a student on F-1 status under OPT or STEM OPT. The rules are specific. If you miss one step - or start before the right document is in hand - you can create I-9 problems and lose work authorization.

Use this OPT and STEM OPT HR guide to choose a clean, compliant start path, set the right dates, and explain the plan to managers in plain English.

Common risks: Starting before the EAD start date, not being in E-Verify for STEM OPT, a thin or incorrect Form I-983training plan, forgetting the 180-day automatic extension rules when a STEM extension is filed on time, not tracking unemployment day limits, missing DSO reporting deadlines, and assuming travel is simple when the F-1 visa in the passport is expired.

What you will get here: a short intake, a quick route picker for OPT and STEM OPT, a clean step-by-step process, timelines you can copy, an I-9 and E-Verify primer, manager scripts, and a carry sheet of documents.

At a glance:

• OPT is usually 12 months

• STEM OPT adds 24 months for eligible STEM degrees.

• Start on the EAD start date for OPT.

• For a timely filed STEM extension, the prior OPT EAD is automatically extended up to 180 days.

• E-Verify is required for STEM OPT. 

• Form I-983 must reflect real supervision and list all worksites.

• Track I-9 reverification and DSO reporting dates so nothing is missed.

• For international travel, the EAD is not a visa. The employee needs a valid F-1 visa to re-enter, plus the correct I-20 and signatures.

OPT and STEM OPT HR Guide: quick facts HR should know

• OPT vs STEM OPT: OPT is a work authorization that follows degree completion in most cases. STEM OPT is a 24-month extension for certain STEM degrees listed by DHS.

• Paid employment only: Roles must be paid and at least 20 hours per week. Volunteer roles do not qualify for STEM OPT.

• Employer-employee relationship: You must have a real training and supervision setup. If the employee sits at a client site, you still control supervision, and the I-983 must reflect that.

• E-Verify: Required for STEM OPT. Confirm the hiring entity and FEIN are enrolled and collect the E-Verify Company ID.

• Unemployment day limits: Up to 90 days during initial OPT. An additional 60 days during STEM OPT. Total possible 150 days across both.

• Travel basics: To re-enter the United States, the employee needs a valid F-1 visa in the passport, a recent I-20 with the correct travel signature, and the EAD card. If the F-1 visa has expired, they will face visa stamping risks abroad.

Mini intake - one form for every OPT or STEM OPT case

Ask the candidate to complete these fields before you promise a start date.

1. Degree major and CIP code, and graduation date

2. Current status - OPT EAD valid to [date] or STEM extension pending with receipt

3. School name and DSO contact

4. Job title and location - on-site or hybrid, or remote - list all worksites

5. Manager name and how supervision will work

6. E-Verify Company ID - confirm the company site or parent that will employ them

7. Target start date and weekly hours

Route picker - which situation are you in

• A - New hire on standard OPT with a valid EAD

  Start on or after the EAD start date. No work before the card is valid. Use the EAD as List A for I-9.

• B - Current employee applying for a STEM OPT extension

  File Form I-765 up to 90 days before the OPT end date. Once filed on time with an I-20 endorsed for STEM, work authorization is automatically extended up to 180 days beyond the old EAD date.

• C - New hire who is in the 180-day automatic extension period

  You may complete an I-9 using the expired OPT EAD plus the I-797C receipt for the STEM filing and the I-20 with STEM endorsement. Reverify by the 180-day mark if the new EAD has not arrived.

• D - H-1B cap gap scenario

  If an H-1B change of status petition is filed and selected, the school can issue an I-20 that shows cap-gap. Employment may continue through September 30. Use the cap gap I-20 for I-9 reverification, and plan carefully for travel - leaving the United States during cap-gap can disrupt the plan.

Step-by-step process for HR

1. Confirm eligibility - degree is on the DHS STEM list if using STEM, role is related to the field, and paid at least 20 hours per week.

2. Check E-Verify - confirm the hiring entity is enrolled. Get the E-Verify Company ID.

3. Draft Form I-983 - for STEM cases. Work with the manager to fill Sections 1 through 6. List every worksite. Explain supervision and training goals in simple terms.

4. Send I-983 to the DSO - the school updates SEVIS and issues a new I-20 with the STEM OPT recommendation.

5. File the STEM I-765 on time - the employee files with USCIS. Aim for filing 60 to 90 days before OPT ends.

6. I-9 and start -

   • Standard OPT: start on or after the EAD start date.

   • STEM pending with 180-day auto extension: use the expired EAD, plus the I-797C receipt, plus the I-20 with STEM endorsement. Set a reverify tickler before the 180-day mark.

7. E-Verify case - open after I-9. Handle Tentative Nonconfirmations with the standard scripts and timelines.

8. Ongoing checks - 6-month validation reports to the DSO and the 12-month and 24-month self-evaluations on the I-983. Report material changes within 10 days - worksite, supervisor, pay, or job duties that change the training plan.

Timeline cheat sheet

• Offer accepted - start I-983 draft with the manager for STEM cases.

• 60 to 90 days before OPT ends - STEM I-765 filing window.

• OPT end date - if STEM is filed on time, the 180-day automatic extension starts.

• Within 3 business days of start - complete Form I-9.

• Every 6 months - DSO validation report.

• Month 12 and Month 24 - I-983 student evaluations due.

• Cap-gap note - if you plan to file H-1B with a change of status, coordinate dates so the cap-gap covers any gap to October 1.

I-9 and E-Verify - quick rules to avoid headaches

• Never start work before the EAD start date unless the person is in a valid automatic extension period.

• For the 180-day automatic extension, copy the receipt and the I-20 and put the reverify date on the calendar.

• Use the latest USCIS I-9 instructions. If you are not sure which documents count, ask before day one.

• Open the E-Verify case after the I-9. Resolve Tentative Nonconfirmations within the timelines and keep the employee working while it is pending.

Remote and hybrid work - how to write I-983 clearly

• List every worksite where training will happen - home office, main office, client site, if applicable.

• Explain how the manager supervises - standups, code reviews, pairing, ticket systems, and security tools.

• State the tools and outcomes - repositories, analytics, QA, and deployment gates.

• If anything changes, update the I-983 and send it to the DSO within 10 days.

Documents to collect and keep on file

• Passport biographic page and F-1 visa page

• Current I-20 signed by the DSO - for STEM, it must show the STEM recommendation and be recent

• EAD card front and back. If STEM pending - the I-797C receipt and the I-20 with STEM

• Form I-983 signed by the employer and the student for STEM cases

• I-9 and E-Verify case details

• Worksite list and supervisor name, and contact

• Training plan notes and any updates sent to the DSO

Pitfalls to avoid

• Promising a start date before you see the EAD or the STEM filing receipt

• Forgetting to enroll the correct hiring entity in E-Verify

• A thin or copy-paste I-983 that does not describe real supervision

• Missing the 6-month validation or the 12 and 24-month evaluations

• Letting unemployment days pile up and not tracking them

• Ignoring a Tentative Nonconfirmation in E-Verify

• Assuming international travel is simple when the F-1 visa in the passport has expired

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Disclaimer: Content in this publication is not intended as legal advice, nor should it be relied on as such. For additional information on the issues discussed, consult a WayLit-affiliated attorney or another qualified professional.