Maintaining Your Status while on OPT

You cannot start working until you have received your EAD card and until the start date on the EAD card. 

All employment must be related to your major area of study. In your employment report, you will explain your regular job duties and the connection between those duties and the degree you earned. 

• Volunteer positions: Volunteer positions are allowed on OPT, as long as the position is a true volunteer position and is not normally a paid position.  
• Remote work: Currently, the regulations allow you to work remotely inside the U.S. while on OPT. Your employer should approve and know your remote work location. You need to make sure you appropriately report your employer’s address and your working (site) location in your employment report.  
• Multiple employers: You may work for multiple employers as long as each job is related to your degree. You must report each employment following the reporting requirements listed below. 

OPT requires you to work at least 20 hours per week. If you work for multiple employers, you can combine the hours with each employer to meet the minimum requirement. 

Note:  

• Employment of 20 hours per week or less is considered part-time.  
• Employment of more than 20 hours per week is considered full-time.  

You are allotted 90 unemployment days over your total OPT authorization period. If you are not employed, unemployment days will start to accumulate on the start date listed on your EAD card. 

You cannot start a new degree program or study full-time while you are participating in OPT. Enrollment in avocational or recreational coursework is allowed.  

Use of the SEVP Portal is optional and should be used as a view-only tool. The SEVP Portal is an online tool which allows you to access your contact and employment information that has been reported to SEVIS by ISSS.  

Updates to your contact or employment information need to be reported following the instructions in the “Required Reporting” section of this webpage.  

You will receive an email from do-not-reply.sevp@ice.dhs.gov with a link to set up your SEVP portal. This link will be emailed to you on or after your OPT start date.  

If your set up link expires or you are locked out of the portal, you should submit a “SEVP Portal Reset” request through your ISSS Connect Portal.   

Your visa requires that you submit all reports within 10 days of the event/change. 

• Address updates 
• Employment changes (new employment, completion of employment, change in full-time/part-time employment status, employer address change) 
• Legal name change as reflected in your Passport 

ISSS requires that you submit the following reports within 10 days of the event/change. 

• OPT/STEM OPT EAD Card Submission  

Reminder: Your visa requires that you submit all reports within 10 days of the event/change. 

• PAWS: Address updates 
  • Log into PAWS and update your Mailing Address in the “Mailing” field; this information will be pulled into ISSS Connect and SEVIS will be updated in about one week.   
  • Your U.S. physical address must always be listed in PAWS under the “Mailing” field.   
  • Your home country address must always be listed in PAWS under the “Home” field. 
• ISSS Connect Portal Reports:  
  • OPT/STEM OPT EAD Card Submission 
  • Report New OPT/STEM OPT Employment   
  • Report Completion of a Job  
  • Updated I-20: Legal Name Change  

• International travel before program end date: In general, it is okay to travel internationally while your OPT application is pending before your program end date. Your OPT recommended I-20 will not be automatically signed with a travel endorsement. If you decide to travel internationally before your program end date while your OPT is pending, you must submit a Travel Endorsement request through your ISSS Connect Portal.  
• International travel after program end date: We recommend postponing international travel until you have your approved OPT EAD card and job offer to support your request for reentry to the U.S. The officer at the U.S. border has the discretion to determine if you are eligible for reentry to the U.S. 

After your OPT is approved and you have reported valid employment, you will be issued an updated I-20 with a travel endorsement. If that travel endorsement expires and you need a new travel endorsement, you can request that through your ISSS Connect Portal. 

Travel endorsements are valid for six months from the date signed for students on approved OPT authorization.  

When traveling, you should make sure to carry with you: 

• Updated I-20 with travel endorsement that lists the OPT approval and employment   
• OPT EAD card   
• Employment offer letter   
• Valid passport   
• Valid F-1 visa  
• Most recent I-94 (for travel within the U.S.) 

Additional information is available on the travel recommendations webpage.

Yes. UWM International Student & Scholar Services will communicate important information to your UWM email address only. You will continue to use your UWM credentials to login to ISSS Connect and PAWS for reporting purposes. 

If you lose access to your UWM credentials (login, password, and/or MFA), work with the UWM Help Desk to reinstate your access. You should retain your credentials throughout your OPT/STEM OPT Extension period.