My OPT expires before my H-1B start date. Can I keep working?
If you were selected in the H-1B lottery and your employer filed a timely cap-subject petition requesting an October 1 start, cap-gap provisions can extend your F-1 status and work authorization to bridge the gap. It depends on being selected and on the petition being filed while your status is still valid, so the sequencing is what matters. Confirm your own dates with your DSO and an attorney rather than assuming coverage.
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A qualifying STEM degree can support an additional 24 months of OPT beyond the initial 12, and the list of qualifying fields has been broadened over time to include areas such as data science, cloud computing and business analytics. Eligibility turns on your specific degree code appearing on the current list, which is worth checking directly rather than assuming.
AI-generated · Not attorney-reviewed