All employees must obtain a Social Security Number (SSN). Instructions on how to obtain a Social Security Card are available in the Student File and Document Library.
International students can work on-campus up to 20 hours/week during the academic terms and full-time during the vacation or break periods. Special authorization from the USCIS is not required to work on-campus as long as you are in valid F-1 student status and pursuing a full course of study. Once you complete your study program you are no longer eligible to be employed on-campus without special authorization -- i.e., Optional Practical Training (see below). On-campus employment is employment engaged in at UCSC such as a teaching or research assistantship, employment in the University Center, library aide, etc. Generally speaking, this means that you will be receiving a paycheck from this university.
A summary of the options for off-campus employment for F-1 students is provided below. No matter which off-campus employment option you pursue, the following items apply for all applicants.
Cap Gap extension is to allow students on OPT who have filed an H-1B status to continue their employment during the period their OPT ends and H-1 B status begins.
What is H-1 Cap gap: It is the period of time between the a non-immigrant’s F-1 student status would end and his/her H-1B status begins
What is H-1 Cap extension: An F-1 Student who is currently in status on OPT, and who is the beneficiary of a timely-filed H-1b petition, but whose OPT would expire before the H-1b becomes available, will be able to remain in status AND employed during the cap-gap period between the end of OPT and the beginning of the H-1b. This would apply to all students on OPT, not just STEM students. The extension of duration of status and work would automatically terminate upon rejection, denial or revocation of the H-1b petition filed on the student’s behalf.
Who is eligible? Unlike the 17-month extension of post-completion OPT, which is limited to F-1 students who have obtained STEM degrees, the extension of Cap-Gap I-20 applies for all F-1 students in all fields of study with pending H-1B petitions during the fiscal year.
How do I apply for H-1 Cap Gap:
If you have an H-1B Petition filed with the USCIS and your OPT is about to expire or already expired prior to the H-1B approval date you should:
How long will the Cap-Gap Extension request take?
We will try to submit Cap-Gap request within 3 business days of the student’s email submission. Please be advised that any information that is incomplete in the application materials will cause critical delays.
How long will the Cap-Gap Extension take?
Currently there is no processing timeline given by SEVIS Help Desk regarding the Cap-Gap Extension. However, once the Extension has been processed, ISSS will contact the student regarding the extension approval.
What do I do if my OPT expires and my Cap-Gap Extension request is still pending with SEVIS Help Desk?
Under the new rule, the Cap-Gap Extension is a period in which an eligible F-1 student’s status is automatically extended to bridge the gap between the end of F-1 status and the start of H-1B status. If the student is in a period of authorized post-completion OPT on or after the date the student becomes eligible for the extension, the student’s post-completion OPT is automatically extended. Therefore, the student is allowed to continue working with the employer while the Cap-Gap Extension request is pending.
What happens if after I apply for the Cap-Gap Extension, my H-1B petition is denied?
If USCIS denies a pending H-1B petition, the student will must depart the U.S. within 60-days after notification of the denial or rejection of the petition.
The H-1 Cap Gap guidelines are available in the Student File and Document Library.