Change of STEM Employer

STEM OPT Change of employer

Students on OPT STEM are allowed to change/ update/ add employers but every employer you work for while on OPT STEM must be enrolled in E-Verify and the position must meet all STEM requirements. When you depart from a company while on OPT STEM, you are required to submit the Final Evaluation on Student Progress (last page of the I-983 for the employer which you are leaving) to our office. When you start employment with a new employer, you must submit a new Form I-983 with all required signatures.

Please complete the .

• Please refrain from sending your forms to us via email.

Processing time for all student requests is 5 business days, only if your documents are complete with no corrections. We look forward to your response.

Reminder: Your º£½ÇÉçÇø email account will be deactivated one year after you complete your program. Please ensure that you use your personal email address for all SEVIS and USCIS-related communications and forms.

STEM OPT is pending and I want to change my employer

You may change your employer while your STEM OPT is pending, however, there are risks associated with that. If the documents don't reach USCIS before they process, they go in, try to find you via your old employer's E-Verify #, see you no longer work there, and then they deny your STEM request (because to them, they think you don't have a STEM employer)--then you'd have to refile if you receive the denial notice in time, or leave the U.S. if you are no longer eligible to re-file. This would be a rare outcome, and students mostly accomplish a change of employer while the STEM EAD is pending without issue, but any time a case becomes more complex, there are additional chances for hiccups in the process.

Email us at ISGSS@lewisu.edu if you would like to proceed in changing your employer while your STEM application is pending with USCIS.