Employees and scholars may have work authorization based on a U.S. based student immigration status from Notre Dame or another U.S. institution.
After completing the ISSA Immigration Request Form (IRF), the academic unit receives an email that confirms the recommendation of a U.S. based student status authorization benefit, including the following:
- F-1 Student on OPT (with EAD)
- F-1 Student on STEM OPT (with EAD)
- F-1 Student on CPT (with I-20 authorization)
- J-1 Academic Training (with DS-2019 authorization)
In some cases the academic unit may intend to file an H-1B petition for an employee who is eligible to use their OPT, STEM OPT, or Academic Training benefit. We generally recommend that the individual utilize their authorization benefit up, or at least start the appointment with the authorization benefit while waiting on the H-1B petition to be processed by USCIS.
Length of authorization
It is important to recognize that individuals working at Notre Dame in these categories have specific authorization dates based on the dates printed on their EAD card, I-20 or DS-2019. They are only authorized to work within the authorization dates approved on these documents.
Any extension of employment beyond those dates will require a new authorization document.
Hiring Packet/Appointment Letter
When the academic unit has decided to proceed with the recommended visa type, they will reach out to the Office of the Provost or the Office for Postdoctoral Affairs to complete the hiring packet.
- STEM OPT: In addition to the standard hiring packet documents, employees hired with STEM OPT are also required to complete an I-983 Training Plan with their supervisor and submit that to the institution who sponsored their student status prior to beginning employment. During their employment, they must submit additional reports to their sponsor:
- submit a validation report every six months (confirms continued employment and residential address)
- submit a self-evaluation at the 12 and 24 month marks during their authorization period
Check-in on campus
Upon arrival on campus for their Notre Dame appointment, the employee or scholar should present their authorization documents during the I-9 process.
Termination of employment
If employment ends prior to the originally submitted dates on the IRF, please submit an employee departure form to ISSA.
- For employees hired with STEM OPT authorization, the hiring unit should communicate any terminations or dismissals to the employee's status sponsor.