iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reminded students on F-1 visa doing Optional Practical Training (OPT) to update their employer information, including unemployment data, lest they lose their status.
Exceeding unemployment limits can result in a loss of status, warned USCIS asking students and their designated school officials (DSOs), to update such information in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
Federal regulations require F-1 aliens to notify their DSO within 10 days of any changes to their personal or employment information, the immigration agency said in a media release. In turn, DSOs must update SEVIS with the alien’s information within 21 days.
Students in F-1 non-immigrant status may update their employer information through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Portal.
This tool allows F and M students participating in post‑completion practical training to report accurate and timely information directly to SEVP, it said.
DSOs may update the information in SEVIS following the instructions to add, edit, or delete the OPT employer.
If the students are unsure of whether they should report information using the portal, or provide the information to their DSO, they should contact their DSO for instructions.
Students in F-1 non-immigrant status and DSOs must ensure that information is entered timely in SEVIS, so that their record is current and reflects actual employment data.
SEVIS will count each day without employer information toward the total number of unemployment days allowed, USCIS warned.
Failure to update employer information in SEVIS to reflect that the alien is employed may result in these actions:
Students exceeding unemployment limits and therefore failing to maintain F-1 non immigrant status, rendering them removable, unless they are otherwise in a period of authorized stay.
SEVP setting a student’s SEVIS record to “terminated” if they have exceeded unemployment limits.
USCIS initiating revocation proceedings for a student’s Employment Authorization Document if they have exceeded unemployment limits.
The exceeded unemployment limits may also negatively affect students’ future benefit requests filed with USCIS.