International Student & Global Career Resources

In the US, employers are not allowed to ask about a candidate’s age, race/ethnicity, gender, country of origin, religion, disability, or marital/family status. However, employers may ask questions related to work authorization. Some common questions are:

Question: Are you authorized to work in the United States?

Possible Answer 1: YES. If you have active F-1 status and are eligible to apply for Curricular (CPT) or Optional (OPT) Practical Training you may answer YES.

Note: If you are seeking an internship and are eligible to apply for applying for Current Practical Training (CPT) and if there is space to provide additional information, you should indicate that you will be applying for CPT for the internship period. Utilizing your CPT benefit enables you to work in the US without employer sponsorship as long as the position is relevant to your major for the specific dates of employment (example: from XX to XX).

OR

Possible Answer 2: If you are seeking full-time employment and are eligible to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT), you should mention that you will be applying for OPT (or have already applied) to begin on X date. OPT is an employment benefit that will allow you to work in the US for up to 12 months without employer sponsorship.

If you are enrolled in a STEM-designated program, then you can mention you are eligible for the STEM OPT Extension, which is currently 24 months. To continue working beyond this timeframe, your employer would have to file for a work visa for you.

Question: Will you now, or in the future, require sponsorship for an employment visa?

Answer: YES. You will require work authorization once your F-1 student status ends.

There are many approaches to informing an employer. If a question is asked as part of the online application, provide an honest answer (see the sample answers above). If a question is not part of the application or is asked by the employer during an interview, it is recommended to briefly mention your work authorization status by the end of the first interview or – if possible – before the second interview. This strategy allows potential employers to become familiar with your work authorization options and allows you to focus more on the strengths that you offer as an international student rather than visa challenges.

In essence, this is a great idea, however it is extremely difficult to create and maintain such a list. Many employers are unwilling to disclose this information directly and their policies are often changing which makes a list unsustainable and unreliable. Unfortunately, there is not a single easy way to identify opportunities. For these reasons, a creative strategy is essential to identify eligible opportunities.

You may have concerns about whether employers in the US hire international students. Online research and networking can help identity “international friendly” organizations. As you conduct your research, consider the following resources:

Handshake:

Use the Work Authorization filters of the job search and fair search pages of Handshake to identify employers who are willing to provide job visa sponsorship or are accepting international student applications using work authorizations such as OPT and CPT. You will be prompted to answer the following questions related to work authorization when you create your profile and if you do not provide answers to these questions, you will be prompted to answer work authorization questions during your first application in Handshake or if you register for a fair which will then be saved for future applications.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you select “Prefer not to answer these questions”, your information will show as FULLY QUALIFIED for the position and you will be able to view and sign up for virtual fair 1:1 sessions with work authorization requirements. You will be able to see your eligibility for an opportunity in the employer preferences box for each posting. (Examples are below.) It’s important to note that Handshake will not block/prevent you from applying for an opportunity if you do not match a preference.

GoinGlobal:

GoinGlobal is an online database for searching career opportunities in the US and abroad. It contains information including lists of US employers with past records of H-1B sponsorship activity and provides country career guides and job search resources for more than 120 worldwide locations. It is accessible through MSU Handshake (once logged in, go to Career Center, click Resources, and look for a GoinGlobal link). In addition, GoinGlobal has other helpful features: work permit/visa regulations, resume writing guidelines, employment trends, salary ranges, networking groups and cultural/interviewing advice.

Myvisajobs.com:

Myvisajobs.com Is an online platform to identify which US employers have petitioned for a work/H-1B visa in the past. This site also provides names of employers who have sponsored for Permanent Residency (Green Card) including locations and types of positions.

US Department of Labor H-1B Data:

The US Department of Labor Office of Foreign Labor Certification generates annual reports on labor certifications, which is a core part of the H-1B and Permanent Residency application process. Report examples include top occupations for H-1B by state, top 10 employers sponsoring H-1B visas and top occupation areas for Permanent Residency applications. If you are applying for the H-1B work visa, you may be interested in researching the trends and patterns for this visa type in your state or industry. The U.S. Department of Labor publishes reports on top occupations for H-1B by state, top employers sponsoring this visa, and best occupation areas for permanent residency applications, among other data.

We recognize international students face unique challenges in their job searches due to complex immigration systems. It is critical that you practice parallel planning and consider multiple avenues for employment, such as a multi-country job search in the US, your home country, and perhaps other countries to increase the likelihood that you will find employment after graduation. There are various career resources and programming available to help Broad students navigate global job searches and career opportunities, including: global resume books, networking series, career panel, treks, etc. Plan ahead and stay connected with our team!

International students have unique challenges when it comes to a job search in the US. It is important to be knowledgeable about your visa status and to know how to effectively communicate these visa requirements with an employer. International students should respond honestly about their immigration status and work authorization eligibility when asked. Before the job search begins, international students need to learn about work authorization options to facilitate the hiring process for employers. There are two common types of off campus work authorizations F-1 international students can apply for:

• Current Practical Training (CPT) – used for internships or work off-campus during the academic year; and
• Optional Practical Training (OPT) – used for post-graduation employment.

All off campus employment must be related to a student’s field of study. For more information, visit the OISS Visa and Immigration page. We recommend that all international students consult with an OISS advisor for any work authorization questions.