Get a game plan on how to transition from the F1 visa to the H1B visa as an international student on F1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM OPT.
In this video, I talk about the most important things every F1 international student must know about transitioning from an F1 visa to a H1B visa. For most international student, this transition will occur during the Post Completion OPT or STEM OPT. Now, given that the post completion OPT is a maximum of 12 months, it is very important that you identify an employee who is willing to sponsor you on an H1B visa very early on.
This advice still holds true for F1 students who are eligible for the 24 month STEM OPT extension as well. You should also keep in mind that the time of the year when you graduate and begin the Post Completion OPT will affect how you transition. For example, someone who graduates in the Spring semester would have to wait until the next calendar year for their employer to file the H1B. On the contrary, someone who finished in the Fall and started their OPT early in the year, would have an opportunity for their employer to file the H1B early on during their OPT.
