The route from an F-1 student visa to U.S. work is not one visa. It is a chain: study, Optional Practical Training (OPT)Temporary work authorization that lets eligible F-1 students work in a job directly related to their field of study. It can be used before or after completing a program, for up to 12 months in total at each education level, and students with certain STEM degrees can apply for a 24-month extension. USCIS grants it on Form I-765 after the school's designated school official recommends it.See it in the glossary (OPT), sometimes a STEM OPT extension, and then a work status such as Cap-subject and cap-exempt (H-1B)The H-1B category has an annual limit of 65,000 new visas or statuses per fiscal year, plus 20,000 more for people with a U.S. master's degree or higher. Petitions counted toward that limit are cap-subject. Petitions from higher education institutions, their related or affiliated nonprofits, and nonprofit or governmental research organizations are cap-exempt.See it in the glossary if an employer sponsors it. Each link has its own rules and its own limits.
Step one: OPT after study
OPT lets an F-1 student work in a field related to the degree. Post-completion OPT is generally 12 months, and students who earned a qualifying STEM degree may apply for a 24-month extension. The F-1 regulations also limit unemployment: 90 days during initial OPT and an additional 60 days if a STEM extension is granted, for 150 total. Our Visa Library explains what changes after the first year.
Step two: a sponsor and the H-1B registration
H-1B is employer-sponsored and capped at 85,000 new petitions a year, made up of 65,000 regular numbers and 20,000 for people with a U.S. master’s degree or higher. Employers register candidates in March and pay a $215 registration fee. For fiscal year 2027, USCIS used a wage-weighted selection for the first time, giving registrations tied to higher wage levels more entries.
The gap between OPT and October 1
New H-1B employment cannot begin before October 1, but OPT can end earlier. Under the cap-gap rules, a student with a timely filed H-1B petition can keep F-1 status, and in some cases work authorization, until April 1 or the start date of the approved petition, whichever is earlier, according to USCIS guidance. The extension depends on when the petition is filed relative to the OPT end date.
Where CPT fits, and a caution
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)Work authorization for F-1 students for training that is an integral part of an established curriculum and directly related to their major. A designated school official authorizes it in SEVIS and on the Form I-20, and the student may start only after receiving the endorsed I-20. Students generally need one full academic year of enrollment first, and 12 months or more of full-time CPT makes a student ineligible for post-completion OPT at that education level.See it in the glossary is separate and tied to the curriculum. Twelve months or more of full-time CPT makes a student ineligible for OPT at the same level. In August 2026, SEVP guidance told schools to authorize CPT only when the training is a required part of the program, and some universities narrowed their approvals as a result. See our comparison of CPT and OPT.
What can go wrong
A selection is not guaranteed, and a student without a sponsor has no automatic next step. Other paths exist, including cap-exempt employers, O-1, and nationality-based options. A proposed OPT fee had cleared White House review as of September 14, with no amount public, per our report. The full sequence is mapped in F-1 cap-gap versus the J-1 path.