This article was originally published on Sevis Saavy.
When international students find employment opportunities through OPT, there’s the most important condition that students need to keep in mind- The position must be directly related to the student’s major area of study. Students are required to update their SEVP portal once they secure the position and there, they need to put employer’s information as well as explain the direct relationship between the practical training and the student’s major.
Writing the relationship is important as it shows if the student is compliant with the immigration regulations. For example, if a student who majored in music works for the restaurant as a musician, it can be said that the student meets the requirement. However, if the student works for the restaurant as a waiter/waitress, it is difficult to define the “direct relationship” between the position and the major.
Sometimes students ask if they are allowed to work for X, Y, Z positions or how can they write the relationship between the position and the major. If you have similar questions, this blog is for you. ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) released the guideline to share some examples of how to write the direct relationship between employment and coursework. This blog post will share three factors that OPT participants can think about when they write how the OPT position is “directly related to the major.”
An eligible student may request employment authorization for practical training in a position that is directly related to his or her major area of study.8 CFR 214.2(F)(10)
Examples of writing how OPT position is related to major
First, we will have a look at examples for students who are participating in OPT with a bachelor’s degree. When you look at ICE’s official guideline, three factors stand out:
- Employer information, position title, and type of employment (full time or part-time)
- Main responsibility
- Applicable coursework or theory from the major
