When travelling to the Study in USA, the most frequent question on every student's mind is whether there are any employment options. Any international student studying in the US has the choice between CPT and OPT. OPT is for post-study work, while CPT is for internships. However, there is a lot of misunderstanding about these two programs among students. That confusion is inevitable given how similar the regulations are for each of these.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

For international students who are enrolled in classes and have an F-1 student visa, curricular practical training is available. It grants them temporary permission to participate in paid internships, practicums, and co-ops that are relevant to their field of study as well as to receive employment training. Students have the option to work full-time (more than 20 hours per week), part-time (20 hours or fewer per week), and earn money in US dollars while gaining expertise in the field of their choice. Since candidates are permitted to work either full- or part-time jobs, CPT is employer-specific and must be finished prior to graduation. One important thing to remember is that you will no longer be eligible for OPT if you work full-time for 12 months in CPT.

During your course duration, CPT enables you to intern in the US. Finding an internship is the first step in becoming an intern, and the institution must then grant the interning student a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) certificate. CPT is only permitted to be utilised prior to graduation because it is meant to be done throughout the curriculum. You can finish your CPT on an F1 visa; you don't need a different visa.

Technically, job or experience must be integrated into the degree program's defined curriculum and be viewed as augmenting the existing understanding of the curriculum. A student must be enrolled in a class that relates to their employment or experience, and the opposite is also true.

The CPT program is designed to be semester-specific; CPT is only approved for the autumn, spring, or summer semesters. Its duration ranges from one semester to 364 days. When school is in session, students can either work part-time (20 hours per week or less) or full-time (during the summer). A student can only work for the employers indicated on their I-20 and SEVIS because CPT is employer-specific.

In order to approve CPT, International Student and Scholar (ISSS) issues a fresh I-20 with CPT's recommendation. A CPT takes 5 to 7 business days to process, which is a reasonably speedy procedure. Only the dates specified in the CPT recommendation on the I-20 and in SEVIS are acceptable for employment.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Temporary job that is directly related to the primary fields of study of F-1 students is known as Optional Practical Training. OPT allows F-1 visa holders who are international students to work for up to 12 months in a job that is related to their field of study. Students who qualify may apply for OPT employment authorization either before to or following the completion of their studies (pre-condition) (post-completion). Although students may only work for a total of 12 months, those with a STEM degree may extend that time to a total of 17 months. After completing a degree program in the US, students are granted OPT, a one-year work permit. After graduating, you have 90 days to locate employment.

OPT can be used both before and after one has finished their studies (Pre-Completion OPT) (Post-Completion OPT). If you have completed your CPT for the full time and are eligible for Pre-Completion OPT, you may be able to work legally before graduating. It is required by law that a person's job be directly related to their primary topic of study. Course registration is not necessary. OPT is not semester-based.

Pre-Completion OPT can be taken as part-time (20 hours per week) throughout the academic year, full-time (winter or summer) during school breaks, or entirely full-time (while working on a thesis or dissertation). OPT after completion might be approved for full-time work. As long as the job is connected to the student's field of study, OPT is not employer-specific, thus they can work for any employer.

OPT must be approved by both International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and USCIS. New I-20s with OPT recommendations are issued by ISSS. The Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card is then issued by USCIS.  OPT processing timeframes might vary, but they typically range from one to three months. Employment is authorised while the EAD card is valid; after that, you must apply for an H1 visa (work visa). The $380 application cost for the EAD card is required by USCIS.