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I-983

Form I-983:
  • You and your employer complete a Form I-983 Training Plan. Click here to view a step-by-step I-983 Form Sample.
  • Form I-983 instructions can be found HERE. Employer instructions can be found HERE.
    • For STEM OPT applicants, your Alien Registration Number is the USCIS # listed on your post-completion EAD.
  • The STEM OPT start date is the day after your 12‐month OPT ends. The end date is fixed at 24 months after the start date.
    • Ex. OPT ends 02/03/2022. STEM OPT dates are 02/04/2022 - 02/03/2024.
  • Concordia University, St. Paul’s school code is SPM214F00284000.
  • You must be working in a paid position for a participating E-Verified employer; cannot be self-employed, unpaid, or volunteer work.
  • The employer that signs the Form I-983 must be the same entity that employs the student and provides the practical training experience.
  • You may use a staffing agency to find a training opportunity.
    • The term "employer" is used differently in the context of human resources than it is for immigration purposes on the I-983. While staffing agencies may hire and place students at training sites, they may not complete the I-983. 
    • The I-983 must be completed by the direct site supervisor, and each site must be E-Verified. 
      • Please note that this has been verified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program – who manages the F-1 regulations and F-1 student visa program – time and again and is published guidance. In other words, SEVP confirms that students may use staffing agencies and consulting companies, but such entities cannot complete and sign an I-983 unless they are able to show an employer-employee relationship and oversight of the student's training.
  • Students may engage in a training experience that takes place at a site other than the employer's principal place of business as long as all of the training obligations are met, including that the employer has and maintains a bona fide employer-employee relationship with the student. 
    • The employer that signs the Training Plan is the same entity that employs the student and provides the practical training experience.
    • For more information on using staffing agencies and the I-983, visit Study in the States. 
  • You will be asked to enter the "Site Address" and "Employer's Address." The site address should be the location you will perform your work each day. The employer's address will be the employer's main address even if it is not your daily work site.
  • You must submit a new Form I-983 if you change employers or make any other material changes from the previous I-983.

The information contained in this web site is not intended as, and does not serve as, legal advice. It is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal advice. Content is subject to change, and students are advised to consult an experienced U.S. immigration attorney for advice and further information. Neither Concordia University, St. Paul nor the Office of International Student Services is responsible for any errors or omissions contained in this website, or for the results obtained from the use of this information.