Pilot off-campus employment program - does it still exist?

suzanne4, RN · Jun 20, 2008

Any of these off campus programs require special permission from the US government to partake of them. Does not matter what the school calls it, but you would need special permission for them as a student. And they still have the same restrictions as if the work were on campus.

Nuieve · Jun 20, 2008

Any of these off campus programs require special permission from the US government to partake of them. Does not matter what the school calls it, but you would need special permission for them as a student. And they still have the same restrictions as if the work were on campus.

I know. 20h/week. I've been offered a part-time job in a clinic as interpretor since they have lots of patients who don't speak English. I'm aware that a few papers need to be signed to apply for this program and it doesn't affect your OPT. I've been a full-time student for almost 2 years and my GPA is 3.95, so I thought I might qualify.

I was just wondering if it still exists and why then it's never mentioned anywhere.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 20, 2008

Then it is not a nursing job, so there are different requirements for that as well. Not going to be easy to get, since it is for something else and not the nursing and that is what your student visa is for, am I not correct on this?

Nuieve · Jun 21, 2008

Then it is not a nursing job, so there are different requirements for that as well. Not going to be easy to get, since it is for something else and not the nursing and that is what your student visa is for, am I not correct on this?

This program doesn't require you to work in field related to study.

http://www.visalaw.com/95nov/12nov.html

suzanne4, RN · Jun 21, 2008

Yes, that program exists, but again, it requires special permission from the US government and is not automatically granted.

I do know of students that have used it, but there has be to extenuating circumstances as well. And one cannot work until they get approval from US government.

This is why I am telling you that if it is in another field as well, it requires a different type of permission to be able to work.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 21, 2008

Yes, that program exists, but again, it requires special permission from the US government and is not automatically granted.

I do know of students that have used it, but there has be to extenuating circumstances as well. And one cannot work until they get approval from US government.

This is why I am telling you that if it is in another field as well, it requires a different type of permission to be able to work.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 21, 2008

The issue becomes one of having to prove a hardship, and coming to the US on a student visa, means that the person was supposed to have funding for their training, etc to get approval on the F-1.

So unless something has usually happened that changes things drastically, one does not get approval on this and it also takes sometime to even be able to get.

The application for it needs to go thru your school and cannot be done alone by you either.

Nuieve · Jun 22, 2008

The issue becomes one of having to prove a hardship, and coming to the US on a student visa, means that the person was supposed to have funding for their training, etc to get approval on the F-1.
So unless something has usually happened that changes things drastically, one does not get approval on this and it also takes sometime to even be able to get.
The application for it needs to go thru your school and cannot be done alone by you either.

None of the few sites I found about it mention a hardship as a requirement. In fact I remember one of them saying specifically that hardship is NOT a requirement of it. It's a whole different program, not related to regular hardship offcampus employment at all. All you have to do is have the school and employer file the forms and that's all.

Surprisingly, even the official immigration (gov) sites don't have a word on it. I wish I could read some clear official explanation, but there's some kind of conspiracy going on about it. If they offer it, why no information about it? If they don't want to offer it - why don't they just shut it down?

Weird... My international program counselor is usually helpful and prompt with everything, but after talking to her on the phone I got an impression that she doesn't want to assist me in getting it. She failed her promise to give a reply 3 times already ("by the end of the week" was the answer every time). I don't really care about the job, if I don't get it - fine (it's already been 3 weeks since I got an offer and promised them I would get to them back with an answer asap). I just wish they'd stop messing with my mind and gave me a clear yes or no answer.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 22, 2008

The link that you mentioned above, specifically relates to this program. And the others that I have seen go thru it have had to prove hardship.

This is the only way to get it, for what exists at this time. There is no other way around it and the fact that process has to be done thru your school. You cannot just apply for it either.

And the program that you provided the link for above is not a pilot program but has been in existance for quite sometime, and is separate from the CPT and OPT programs.

goodstudentnowRN · Jun 23, 2008

None of the few sites I found about it mention a hardship as a requirement. In fact I remember one of them saying specifically that hardship is NOT a requirement of it. It's a whole different program, not related to regular hardship offcampus employment at all. All you have to do is have the school and employer file the forms and that's all.
Surprisingly, even the official immigration (gov) sites don't have a word on it. I wish I could read some clear official explanation, but there's some kind of conspiracy going on about it. If they offer it, why no information about it? If they don't want to offer it - why don't they just shut it down?
Weird... My international program counselor is usually helpful and prompt with everything, but after talking to her on the phone I got an impression that she doesn't want to assist me in getting it. She failed her promise to give a reply 3 times already ("by the end of the week" was the answer every time). I don't really care about the job, if I don't get it - fine (it's already been 3 weeks since I got an offer and promised them I would get to them back with an answer asap). I just wish they'd stop messing with my mind and gave me a clear yes or no answer.

I agree with you. My friend is an international student and she was given permission to work by the US government but it had something to do with hardship. She had to provide proof and she cannot work for more than 20 hours per week.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 23, 2008

I agree with you. My friend is an international student and she was given permission to work by the US government but it had something to do with hardship. She had to provide proof and she cannot work for more than 20 hours per week.

Thanks for posting that, this is what I have been saying. There are no other programs, whether pilot or not that will just let a student work off campus and not in the CPT program without having to prove hardship and get special permission from the US government.