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Optional Practical Training is your bridge from student to professional. It's also the phase where most immigrants make career-ending mistakes. You have 12 months of work authorization—and a 90-day unemployment limit that can end your stay. Master this section or risk losing everything you've built.
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Sign Up FreeUnemployment Day Management
You are allowed a total of 90 days of unemployment during your entire 12-month OPT period. Yes, weekends and holidays count. Yes, the time between jobs counts. Your clock starts on your EAD start date—even if the card hasn't arrived yet. Every time you start or end a job, you have 10 days to update the SEVP Portal. Here's a lifesaver: volunteering 20+ hours per week in a role related to your major stops the unemployment clock. Find a nonprofit in your field and offer to help while you job hunt.
Sign up to unlockOPT Risk Management
Maintaining your OPT is a journey in risk management. While you have the freedom to work, you are also operating within a system that has very little room for error. Think of these rules not as obstacles, but as the "safety gear" that keeps your career climb secure.
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