lifehouse51

OPT = Optional Practical Training. Usually it allows one year for F-1 Students to gain work experience in an area related to the field of study after graduation. The time can be used for work during your student years as well (Eg. During Summer Time), and it'll be called CPT (Curricular Practical Training). Nevertheless, you only get ONE year of OPT+CPT combined. Most people tend to use only the OPT for one year after they have graduated. Recent changes to OPT allows 17 additional months of OPT for students in the Fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). I don't believe Psychology is considered one of these field.

OPT is applied through the International Student Office at your school a few months before you graduate as a F-1 Student. You don't need to secure an employer before you apply for it, but you can only be unemployed for a max of 90 days while on OPT, so realistically it's better to find an employer before you graduate.

H1-B = One of the most popular temporary working visas for specialty occupations like Psychology. You have to secure a job offer from a company, which will file a petition on your behalf to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). The USCIS currently has an annual cap of 65,000 for H1-B, and the fiscal year starts on October 1, while filing for petition can be done 6 months before the start date (i.e. The earliest to file is April 1 for a Oct 1 start date). There's an additional 20,000 spots/year for people with Master's Degree or above. Nevertheless, the caps are filled up very quickly in recent years, so a lot of planning is needed. The good thing is Nonprofit/Academic institutions are exempt from this annual cap.

There's a Max duration of 6 years for H1-B. A lot of people work under H1-B while waiting for their employers sponsor and petition for permanent residency on their behalf. However, the H1-B and Permanent residency petitions are two separate processes, you can do one without the other, or both. The employment-based green card process can take years for some people, notably those from Mainland China and India due to quota for each country each year.

A Possible (Though not the only) route for someone is: F-1 Student -> Optional Practical Training Status -> Bridging to H1-B Temporary working visa -> Wait for Green Card Application completion

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Lifehouse.

Thank you so very much. Wether you have researched or know through experience it's very kind of you to share your info with me. I think the best route is Masters to job..well by the looks of it. Thank you guys n girls.