Employment

Rules and Regulations
These are the basic rules and regulations that international students need to know regarding employment:

• International students are limited to working a maximum of 20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters.
• International students can work up to a maximum of 40 hours per week during the summer and winter breaks.
• International students are limited to working only on campus at Cal State Fullerton.
• International students can work off campus only if they are on curricular/optional practical training, academic training, or have an economic hardship work permit. Please see below for further details.
• International students must be in F-1/J-1 status for at least one academic year before they can apply for curricular/optional practical training, academic training, or an economic hardship work permit.

Social Security Card
Important note: A social security card is no longer issued for the following situations:

• Obtaining a driver's license - please refer to: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/
• Opening a bank account
• Applying for a credit card account
• Applying to rent an apartment or home
• Requesting a permanent student identity number
• Filing federal or state taxes

To Campus Employers of F-1 or J-1 visa students:
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has updated procedures for issuing SSN's to F-1 and J-1 visa students:

• they are requiring specific details regarding the nature of the campus employment offered to international students in the form of a letter written on department letterhead (see sample letter on the reverse side)
• they will not process an SSN application if it is more than 30 days in advance of the scheduled employment start date

In an effort to streamline our business practices and procedures and assist both campus employers with the hiring of F-1/J-1 students, the IEE and the Tax Compliance Offices have drafted the following guidelines and a sample letter to be used by campus employers.

When you offer campus employment to an F-1 or J-1 visa student, please follow these steps:
1. Draft a letter on department stationery providing the details as indicated in the sample letter:

• Name of student
• Student's Job Title (e.g. Clerical Assistant)
• A brief description of student's job (e.g. answering phones, typing letters, waiting tables in the cafeteria, stocking shelves in the library, etc)
• Start date of proposed employment & number of work hours per week (FYI: visa students may not work more than 20 hours per week during the semester)
• Appropriate Employer Tax Identification Number (see "Note" on the bottom of the sample letter)
• Employer Telephone Number (i.e. the immediate supervisor's or departmental office phone number)

2. Print your letter on department letterhead and give the original copy to the student
3. Send a copy of the signed letter to Greg Sweet, Tax Compliance Manager (CP-392) via intercampus mail
4. Instruct the student to bring the signed letter to the Office of International Education & Exchange (IEE) in UH-244 together with the "On-campus Employment Verification and Statement of Agreement" for final approval from an IEE Advisor

To F-1 / J-1 students and scholars:
You must follow these instructions in order to apply for a social security number. Do NOT begin on campus employment until the following steps are completed:

1. Obtain a letter from your on-campus employer (For sample letter, Click here).
2. Complete and sign the "On-Campus Employment Verification and Statement of Agreement" (available from the Office of International Education & Exchange, UH-244.
3. Attach the letter from "On-campus employer to Statement of Agreement" and submit to the IEE office for final approval.
4. Submit the completed forms to the Social Security Office together with these documents:

• SEVIS I-20 or DS-2019
• Valid I-94
• Valid passport

* For map and directions to the Brea branch of the Social Security Administration, Please (Click here)
For more information about Social Security Card, please visit the Social Security website: http://www.ssa.gov/

Working On Campus
International students are limited to working a maximum of 20 hours per week on campus during the fall and spring semesters, and 40 hours per week during the summer and winter breaks. There are a lot of locations you could work at, including offices, food court, library, bookstore, etc. (the Marriott Hotel is not considered on-campus). You will need to fill out the On-Campus Employment Verification Form and submit it to our office before you can begin working.

Working Off Campus
International students can work off campus only if they are on curricular/optional practical training (F-1 students), academic training (J-1 students), or have an economic hardship work permit (F-1 students). The IEE Office offers regular workshops on Optional Practical Training (for F1 students only), Academic Training (for J1 students only), and Economic hardship-based work permits (F-1 students only). Students interested in Curricular Practical Training must read the CPT Online Tutorial.

Internships for J-1 Students or Academic Training
Click here for information on internships for J-1 students.

Internships for F-1 Students or Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Click here for information on internships for F-1 students.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)
If you are interested in working part-time off-campus in the Spring 2010 or if you are graduating at the end of Fall 2009, and would like to apply for OPT, you must attend two OPT sessions. Follow the link to sign up for Part 1. The OPT sessions are held at the IEE Office. You can request an appointment for Part 2 only AFTER you have attended Part 1 AND have submitted a complete OPT Request Packet to the IEE Office in person.

OPT Extensions for Students in STEM* Majors
F-1 students who completed a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in a STEM field and are currently on approved post-completion OPT may apply for an additional 17 months of OPT, if they have a job or job offer from an E-Verify Employer.

If you meet the criteria above and wish to apply for the OPT STEM Extension, then you must do the following:
1. Prepare all items on the Checklist for OPT STEM Extension Application.
2. Submit your Checklist Items to the IEE Office.
3. Schedule an appointment with an IEE Advisor to pick up your new OPT STEM Extension I-20 and your OPT STEM Extension application packet. You are responsible for mailing your Application Packet to the USCIS Service Center.

Cap-Gap Extension
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 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 also automatically extended.

Cap-Gap OPT
A period of OPT that has been extended beyond the date on the F-1 student's employment authorization document during an authorized cap-gap extension.
If you wish to apply for a Cap-Gap Extension or Cap-Gap OPT, please contact the IEE Office for an appointment with an IEE Advisor. Before the appointment, please submit via fax copies of the following documents:
1. Copy of Current OPT EAD
2. Copy of Notice Receipt (evidence of H1B petition filed)

Economic Hardship Work Permit
Click here for information on obtaining an economic hardship work permit.

Taxes
Click here for information on paying taxes.

What Employers Should Know About Hiring International Students
Click here for more information on this topic.