OPT: Is there an opportunity for international students to stay and work in the US after graduation?

The US is always among the most desired destination for international students. However, the problem of staying in the US or coming back home drives F1 students crazy. According to the research conducted by WICC – Worldwide Internship Consulting Center, the majority of international students want to stay secure a job and gain experience after graduating from college or university in the US. OPT – Optional Practical Training Program is considered as one of the best solutions which allow international students who graduate from a US college/university to work legally for up to three years.

To help international students advance their knowledge about OPT Program, we have conducted an interview with Mr. Bill Kim, CEO of WICC to explain about OPT program in detail for us.

What is the main reason which gets OPT applicant rejected when applying for a job in the US, even they already graduated from a college/university in the US?

The duration of the OPT Program is quite short, which is 2 to 3 years for STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) students and 1 year for students at different majors than STEM. Most of the companies reject the applications of OPT applicants because they don’t want to waste time and money training someone who probably works for them in a short period of time. The recruiters are afraid that hiring OPT applicants will affect the company in such a bay way, so they try to avoid them at the beginning. 

What is “Ninety (90) unemployment days”? How does “Ninety unemployment days” affect international students while seeking a job after graduation?

“Ninety (90) unemployment days” means within a year of OPT duration, applicants will have 90 days of “unemployment” in total. In other words, you have 90 days to land a job. However, 90 days sometimes can be a challenge for US citizens regarding job seeking. When you combine this obstacle together to the difficulties we mentioned in the previous questions, it creates an enormous challenge for international students when finding a job for OPT.

What are the common mistakes OPT students have during the job-seeking process?

The majority of international students wish to land a job at a well-known company or organization; unfortunately, many of these companies don’t hire international students. After getting rejected several times, students will be likely disappointed. At last, dispirited and weary, they will eventually give up the job hunting.  On average, for every 20 resumes applicants send out, there will be one of them get replied. Therefore, braving themselves is the first and foremost thing that OPT applicants need when looking for a job.

So, is there any chance of OPT applicants getting a job offer?

The most important components for success are the students need to know how good they are and what they need. If they can answer those questions, I don’t think it’s hard for them to get a job because, in fact, there are some companies that are willing to hire international students.

Have you ever hired international students for your company?

Of course, yes. International students bring different points of view to the table. In addition, they usually work harder than the average employee. I have hired a few international students, and none of them disappointed me yet.

In the future, will WICC hire more international students?

At this moment, our company doesn’t have any recruiting plans in general, but if our future projects need more employees, I am more than happy to hire international students who are qualified for the company’s standards and requirements.  The good news is we are promoting a new program for the F1-OPT visa right now. WICC will help to connect the recruiters and applicants who are actively looking for a job. I am a recruiter myself; therefore, I know the trouble when we don’t have the right person for the right job. With the new program called “OPT with WICC,” our mission is securing a job that suits the most for fresh graduates in a short time.

Does your program guarantee a job?

With this program, we ensure 100% of applicants having a job which matches their major or filed of training.

You mentioned that the percentage of international students who get job offers after graduation is pretty low. How can WICC ensure a job for OPT applicants?

One of the reasons that prevent applicants from getting hire is they don’t apply to the right one. WICC has built a national network across the US, so we know what the recruiters need and when they need new employees. Our partners, instead of posting hiring posts on their career sites or any media channels, the HR department reach out to us directly and ask for new applicants. 

How to apply for the “OPT Program with WICC”?

Students can start emailing us any inquiry at info@wiccgroup.com. After receiving applicants’ email and resume, we will review their applicants and conduct a Pre-interview to get to know more about applicants as well as their needs and demands. After that, what applicants have to do is waiting for a job interview.