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New Rules for F-1 Employment PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Thursday, 11 June 1998
Effective yesterday, June 10, 1998, new rules will be in place which will change certain limitations for when certain F-1 visa students can and can not work. Old regulations permitted F-1 students to engage in on and off campus employment as long as certain regulations were met. However, the regulations provided no flexibility whatsoever for whatever crisis may occur. This amendment to the regulations will provide the INS Commissioner a means to "institute immediate measures for affected students in case of a crisis," as quoted from the Federal Register.

Right now, this specifically applies to the Asian countries which are experiencing economic crisis as a result of a drop in the value of their currencies. Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and the Philippines are among the hardest hit by this crisis. The President and the Secretary of State have requested the Government to assist in addressing this crisis for foreign policy interests. Because of this, a mechanism has been put in place to address this issue and help out F-1 students caught in this crisis. Certain requirements may be lifted for those students whose financial support is received from the affected nations.

On-Campus Employment
Old regulations limited the amount of time a student may work on campus to 20 hours per week The new rule allows students to work more than 20 hours per week when an emergency situation arises. Before a student can start working extra hours, he/she must demonstrate to an official at the school that the extra hours are absolutely necessary to avoid severe economic hardship. The designated official must then notate the student's I-20 and Certificate of Eligibility.

Off-Campus Employment
A student is currently allowed to work off-campus if: the student has been in F-1 status for one year; the student is in good academic standing and carrying a full course load; the student demonstrates that employment will not interfere with studies; and the student must work to avoid serious economic hardships due to unforseen circumstances. The current rule has been amended to allow flexibility to eliminate some of the criteria necessary to be allowed to work off-campus, if an emergency situation has arisen which causes serious economic hardship.

Course Load
The rule also amends regulations so that students who are carrying a reduced course load will be considered in status during authorized employment as long as the F-1 student is carrying a minimum course load. Under the rule, a minimum course load may be no less than 6 semester or quarter hours of instructions per academic term. The actual amount may be different in different places and circumstances.

PLEASE NOTE: At this time ONLY students from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and the Philippines may benefit from this provision.

 
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