Working illegally in the United States

American government's legal provisions on international students' work.

To study and work in the United States, you must understand and abide by the laws and regulations of the United States government on the employment of foreign students. If you find illegal employment, not only your legal student status will automatically become invalid, but also your spouse's and children's visas will become invalid, and they will all be deported by the Immigration Bureau. Therefore, no matter how difficult the economy is, you must get a work permit before you work.

According to the regulations of the American government, foreign students do not need to apply for special permission to work in schools, but they must register to maintain their full-time student status. The working hours per week during the semester are generally limited to less than 20 hours, and can reach 40 hours on holidays. This means that a registered foreign student can work freely and legally on campus.

If you want to work off campus, you need to apply for a special work permit. The specific provisions are as follows: those who hold a legal student status, have been enrolled for more than one year (more than nine months) and meet the general standards can work in a company recognized by the Immigration Bureau or the Ministry of Labor with the approval of the school's foreign student consultant. The work is valid for one year, but they can apply for an extension. However, it should be noted that the company that works must be a company recognized by the Immigration Bureau or the Ministry of Labor, not any company.

In case of emergency or sudden economic difficulties, foreign students who need to work outside the school must also submit necessary certificates to the international student adviser of the school and apply for a special work permit after one year of enrollment. With special permission, you can work outside the school. The work scope of this special work permit is wider than the previous work permit, and it is not restricted by the above two types of companies.

International students can also apply for jobs in the United States in the name of internship. Applicants must study for one academic year, and then fill in the I765 form 90 days before graduation and apply for a work permit with the recommendation letter from the school's international student consultant. When applying, you should tell the Immigration Bureau that the purpose of internship is to gain work experience so that you can return to China for employment after graduation. You can work for one year after being approved by the Immigration Bureau.

According to the regulations of the American government, visiting scholars need to return to China for two years after their expiration. However, with the consent of the school or the person in charge of the project, you can also work in the United States after the expiration of the period, and the regulations are similar to student visas. People who come to the United States as spouses of visiting scholars can apply for work permits and work legally. Those who come to the United States as student spouses are not allowed to engage in any paid work, whether it is wages or property, but they can invest in business.