Students & Cap-Gap Protection

Students & Cap-Gap Protection (May 22, 2014)

Since 2008 an F-1 student who has a pending H-1B application at the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) to change status from a student to a professionally skilled worker will be able to automatically extend his/her lawful status until October 1 of the fiscal year for which H-1B status is being requested.  The same is true for students who have been granted optional practical training (OPT) and may continue to remain in the United States and work should their OPT expire before October 1.  Those students who have not been granted OPT will have lawful status to remain in the United States but will not be able to work until their H-1B application has been approved.