Student Visa Restrictions

<p>Can anybody give me a list of restrictions that international students have in the US if they are on a student visa?</p>

<p>I know you’re only allowed on campus jobs for upto 20 hours a week during term. Full time during the hols. That is the only important thing you need to know I think.</p>

<p>of course that will require getting legal permission from some kinda department</p>

<p>No, i don’t think so. You don’t need any special permission for full time holiday work as far as i know</p>

<p>Also I believe “on campus” means working for the college/university, not geographically on campus working for a private company. In which case you’re competing for scarce work/study jobs.</p>

<p>You don’t need permission to work on campus. You need a work permit and OPT or CPT if you want to work off campus.</p>

<p>futurenyustudent has it right. You don’t need permission to work on campus, but you do need an employment authorization for off-campus employment. To add to mhmm’s comment about what constitutes on-campus employment: private companies that are located on campus count as on-campus employment if they provide a direct service to the student body. For example, a privately run bookstore or food restaurant on campus counts as on-campus work, but a private consulting business that works for the President’s Office does not.</p>

<p>Work is the big one. Make sure you’re clear about what is considered on-campus and what isn’t. This may not be applicable to all schools, but at Penn for instance I ran into some problems when I tried to get a job at the Children’s Hospital, which is a part of Penn’s medical school but is registered federally under a different Employment Identification Number. As a result of a different EIN, it was federally recognized as “off campus work” which meant I was ineligible for it.</p>

<p>Also be aware that there are a number of summer programs/grants that are only open to US citizens/permanent residents.</p>

<p>Also, regarding the on campus work for international students, you have to be sure that it is college empolyment and not federal work study. Federal work-study (which my school has) is only open to US students with a work study grant, unfortunately.</p>