OPT Ending With No Job or H-1B? Your Options

First, check your dates

• Your OPT end date on the EAD card.
• How many of your 90 unemployment days are left. See OPT unemployment days.
• Whether your degree is on the DHS STEM list.
• Whether an H-1B petition is pending for you. If so, read cap-gap.

The grace period, and a rule that is on hold

Under the rules in force on October 21, 2026, you get 60 days after OPT ends. You may stay, but not work.

A DHS rule published July 17, 2026 would cut that to 30 days. A federal court in Massachusetts blocked it on September 14, 2026, and the government appealed on September 30. Check the status before you rely on 60 days.

Option 1: STEM OPT

If your degree is on the STEM list, you can apply for 24 more months. You need an E-Verify employer and a Form I-983 training plan.

USCIS must receive your I-765 before your current OPT ends. You cannot file during the grace period. See the STEM OPT hub.

Option 2: A new degree program

Starting a new program at a higher level gives you a new F-1 program and, later, a new 12 months of OPT.

Your SEVIS record generally must move to the new school before the grace period ends. Starting a new program also ends your current OPT, so stop working when that happens.

Some programs offer CPT from the first term. Read Day 1 CPT risks and our Day 1 CPT checklist before paying a deposit.

Option 3: Cap-exempt H-1B

Universities, their affiliated nonprofits, nonprofit research organizations and government research organizations are not subject to the H-1B cap. They can file any time of year, with no lottery.

This is often the fastest path if you have no lottery selection. See cap-exempt employers and filter H1B sponsors.

Option 4: Other visas and statuses

• O-1A: for people with extraordinary ability. USCIS requires evidence in at least three of the listed categories. There is no lottery.
• Dependent status: if your spouse holds H-1B or another eligible status, you may change to that dependent status.
• Cap-subject H-1B next March: you can be registered from inside or outside the US. Starting from abroad means consular processing. Read the $100,000 fee first, since it targets that case.
• L-1: if you work abroad for a multinational for one continuous year, it can later transfer you to a US office.

Option 5: Leave on time

Leaving within the grace period protects your record. Overstaying can hurt future visa applications.

Some people keep working remotely for a foreign arm of their employer and try the H-1B lottery the next year. Ask an attorney how that affects any later petition.

This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your situation with your DSO or an immigration attorney.

Questions

Sources

• USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students
• USCIS: Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students
• USCIS: H-1B Specialty Occupations
• USCIS: O-1 Visa for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
• USCIS: L-1A Intracompany Transferee Executive or Manager
• NAFSA: Legal challenge to the duration of status rule (updated Oct. 2, 2026)
• Southeastern Louisiana University: Duration of Status Final Rule summary

Read next

STEM OPT Ending and No H-1B? Your OptionsWhat Is OPT? F-1 Work Rules, Limits and Job SearchOPT Unemployment Days: The 90 and 150-Day Rules