F-1 job search guide
STEM OPT job search
This is career support, not immigration legal advice. Rules change. Confirm dates and eligibility with your Designated School Official (DSO) and USCIS. DM Growth Partners does not file immigration forms, and does not guarantee a job, OPT approval, or sponsorship.
What STEM OPT adds to the search
If your degree is on the STEM list, a qualifying employer can support an extra 24 months after post-completion OPT. The employer is generally enrolled in E-Verify, and you complete a training plan together.
The job search changes with that. You are no longer only asking who will hire an international student for the first 12 months. You are also looking at whether the employer is set up for the STEM OPT extension.
E-Verify employers
STEM OPT generally depends on an employer enrolled in E-Verify. That is a filter on the shortlist, not a promise that the employer is hiring or will sponsor anyone later.
We work with E-Verify employers who hire students, and we can help request a meeting or an interview. We do not guarantee that an employer will agree to meet. Confirm your work authorization with your DSO.
The training plan
A STEM OPT extension is usually paired with a training plan you and the employer complete together. We can help you talk about the role and the training in plain language. We do not prepare that plan as an immigration filing, and we do not file STEM OPT forms.
What still has to be confirmed
Whether your degree qualifies, whether the employer qualifies, and which dates apply are questions for your Designated School Official and USCIS. Rules change. This page explains the usual job-search shape. It is not an eligibility decision.
Common questions
Do you help with STEM OPT job search?
Yes. STEM OPT can add time when the degree and employer qualify, often with an E-Verify employer and a training plan. We help you plan that job search in plain language. Confirm eligibility and dates with your Designated School Official. We do not file STEM OPT forms.
Can you help me get an interview with an E-Verify employer?
We can help request interviews with E-Verify employers and vendors we work with. We do not guarantee that an employer will agree to meet. Confirm your work authorization with your DSO.