OPT Unemployment Days: The 90 and 150-Day Rules

Updated 2026-10-212 min readNot legal advice in W X

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On post-completion OPT you may be unemployed for no more than 90 days in total. If you get the STEM OPT extension, the limit becomes 150 days across both periods, including any of the 90 you did not use. Days count from the start date on your work card, and every day without a qualifying job counts, weekends included.

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The limits

Post-completion OPT: up to 90 days of unemployment in total.
STEM OPT extension: 60 more days, for 150 days in total across OPT and STEM OPT.
Days carry over. If you used 40 days on regular OPT, you have 110 left for STEM OPT.
Cap-gap does not add days. Temple University notes the 90-day limit still applies during a cap-gap extension.

When the count starts

The clock starts on the employment start date printed on your EAD. It does not start while your application is pending or on your program end date.

If no employer is in your SEVIS record on that start date, Study in the States says you are counted as unemployed. Report your job as soon as you start.

Top H-1B sponsors, 2025US Department of Labor data

Employer	H-1B filings	Transfers	Median pay
Amazon.Com Services LLC	14,047	2,382	$155k
Cognizant Technology Solutions US CorpGC frozen	10,209	872	$110k
Ernst & Young U.S. LLP	9,808	269	$143k
Google LLC	7,899	844	$186k
Microsoft CorporationGC frozen	7,840	879	$173k
Tata Consultancy Services LimitedGC frozen	7,287	353	$86k

Every sponsor, with their open jobsSee the list ›

What counts as unemployed

Any day without a job related to your major, including weekends.
Working fewer than 20 hours a week on post-completion OPT.
Gaps between jobs, counted from the last day of the old job.
Time abroad, unless you are on employer-approved leave or traveling for work.
On STEM OPT, unpaid work and work for an employer not enrolled in E-Verify.

What keeps the clock stopped

On regular post-completion OPT, several kinds of work count as employment if they relate to your major and reach 20 hours a week.

These include a regular job, several part-time jobs, 1099 contract work, work through an agency, unpaid internships that follow labor law, and running your own business. See self-employment on OPT.

STEM OPT is narrower. You need paid work of at least 20 hours a week for an E-Verify employer, with a Form I-983 training plan.

What happens if you go over

Going past the limit is a status violation unless you have left the US, started a new program, or moved to another status.

SEVIS flags students who exceed the limit, and SEVP officials can terminate the record. A terminated record can affect later requests that depend on valid F-1 status, such as an H-1B change of status.

If you are getting close to the limit

Count your days yourself. Check the employer dates in the SEVP Portal against your own records.
Report every job within 10 days, even part-time or contract work that qualifies.
Consider a related part-time role, contract work or a legitimate unpaid internship of 20 hours or more on regular OPT.
Talk to your DSO before day 90 about a new program, a status change, or leaving. See when OPT is running out.
Target employers that already hire OPT workers. Start with OPT employers.

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

Questions

How many unemployment days do I get on OPT?

You get 90 days in total during post-completion OPT. They are cumulative, not per job.

How many unemployment days do I get on STEM OPT?

You get 150 days in total across post-completion OPT and the STEM extension. Unused days from the first 90 carry over.

Do weekends count as unemployment days?

Yes. If you have no qualifying job, every calendar day counts, including weekends. Holidays during a job do not count.

Does the 90-day clock start at graduation?

No. It starts on the start date on your EAD card, not your program end date or while your application is pending.

Does part-time work stop the clock?

Only if it is related to your major and adds up to at least 20 hours a week. Less than 20 hours counts as unemployment.

What if I exceed 90 days?

You fall out of status unless you left the US or changed program or status in time. SEVP can terminate your SEVIS record, so talk to your DSO right away.