Choose your route
F-1 student to OPT to H-1B: the full pipeline
For many professionals, the route into the US workforce begins with study. This guide explains the full F-1 pipeline: maintaining student status, the difference between CPT and OPT, the 12 months of standard Optional Practical Training, and the 24-month STEM extension that can bridge the gap to an H-1B.
What you’ll learn
- Maintaining F-1 status and the role of your DSO and I-20
- CPT vs OPT: when each applies and how they affect later benefits
- Filing the I-765 for OPT and the timing windows that matter
- The 24-month STEM OPT extension and its E-Verify requirement
- The 90-day (and 150-day) unemployment limits on OPT
- How 'cap-gap' keeps you working while an H-1B is pending
- Sequencing OPT and the H-1B lottery across multiple years
It covers the practical mechanics that trip people up, the OPT application window and I-765 timing, the unemployment limits, the employer E-Verify requirement for the STEM extension, and the 'cap-gap' protection that keeps you working while an H-1B is pending. You will see how the pieces sequence so you can plan years ahead rather than scrambling at each deadline.
Educational content only, these guides are not legal advice.Read the full disclaimer →
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Understanding US visa categories: H-1B, L-1, O-1, EB-2, EB-5, F-1, J-1, B, K
H-1B, O-1, L-1, EB-2, EB-5, F-1, J-1: the labels hide real differences in who can apply, who sponsors, and how long each takes. Side by side, they narrow to the one or two routes actually worth your time.
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The H-1B visa explained: lottery, cap, employer sponsorship
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The O-1 visa for individuals of extraordinary ability
The O-1 has no cap and no lottery, but it turns your career into an evidence problem judged against eight criteria. Officers want proof against each criterion and a record that holds together; this shows what that proof looks like.