Employment Resources for International Students

What is Employment?
Do's and Don'ts for International Job Applicants
Unpaid Internships and Volunteer Positions
Do's and Don'ts for Employers
Starting Your Own Business/Entrepreneurs
Tax Withholding forms and new employee paperwork
Helpful Links
Resources for New Employees
Guide for Employers

What is Employment?

"Employment" is any type of work performed, or services provided, in exchange for money, tuition, fees, books, supplies, lodging, or for any other benefit.  The U.S. government has a wide definition of 'employment', so it is very important to understand your work authorization options and have any necessary approvals/documentation before work begins. 

Unpaid Internships and Volunteer Positions

Unpaid internships or volunteer positions which are not recreational or avocational in nature (i.e. unpaid or volunteer opportunities which may be directly related to a student's area of study) would require work authorization. Recreation or avocational volunteer opportunities (unrelated to one's studies or professional pursuits) may not require authorization, and should be allowed where this practice does not violate U.S. labor law. Refusing or delaying payment to make a position "unpaid" is considered a violation of your F-1 or J-1 student status.

Unpaid internships are a very specific type of opportunity in labor law that is of benefit to the intern and not necessarily the company.  With bona fide unpaid internships, no one would get paid—international or domestic, it is advertised as unpaid, the position is usually called ‘unpaid intern’, you are not refusing or delaying payment to make it ‘unpaid’ etc), and it does not violate any labor laws.

With every position (paid or unpaid, vocational or avocational), it is recommended that you keep thorough documentation, such as a copy of the original position posting and/or a letter from the organization, showing that the position is a true unpaid internship or volunteer opportunity.

If you are changing anything about the opportunity to “make” it an unpaid internship, or if you will eventually get paid for doing the same job, then it is most likely not a bona fide unpaid internship and you would need approved work authorization to do it.

See the Department of Labor Unpaid Internship Factsheet for more information.

Unpaid Work for the University

Any potential unpaid for work for a University of Chicago faculty member or department must also meet the unpaid work criteria stipulated on the Department of Labor fact sheet listed above.  Taking an unpaid job for which you should receive compensation would be a violation of both immigration and labor law.

Work that is normally performed by paid employees may not be assigned to someone who is not a paid employee. Because of this, it is unlikely that you would be able to partake in work as an RA for University of Chicago professors or departments without pay.  If you are offered an unpaid research with the University, you must check with the HR administrator for the department to confirm: 1) Whether or not it is a bona fide unpaid internship opportunity, and 2) Whether or not the proposed unpaid employment would violate labor law.

A student who receives a grant, stipend or scholarship is not considered to be employed under that award, even if service, research, or other requirements are a condition of the award being made.

Starting Your Own Business/Entrepreneurs

With some F-1 and J-1 Student work authorization options, you can start your own business, as long as you are operating legally and have any required business licenses.   Remember than you will require work authorization for any work that you do. 

USCIS has created an Entrepreneur Pathways website to provide information and guidance in operating your own in business in the U.S. You can review this website to answer questions and see your work authorization options. If you plan on starting a business or are thinking about ways you can continue your business after your student work authorization ends, you may want to consult an immigration attorney.     

Helpful Links

• Employment/Practical Training Authorization Options for F-1/J-1 Students

• Undergraduate Career Assistance: Career Advancement

  • Resume & Interview Toolkit (log-in required)

• Graduate Student Career Assistance: UChicago Grad

• Student Employment and Graduate Teaching Opportunities

• Unpaid Internships and Volunteer Opportunities

  • University Community Service Center (UCSC) 

  • Directory of Chicago Non-Profits

Working after F-1/J-1 Status (after F-1 OPT/STEM and J-1 Academic Training):

• USCIS Information for Working in the U.S.

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published additional online resources on uscis.gov to provide an overview of some of the temporary and permanent pathways for noncitizen entrepreneurs to work in the United States. This guide also highlights some of the most important immigration-related considerations for entrepreneurs contemplating starting or managing a business in the United States.

  • Options for Noncitizen Entrepreneurs to Work in the United States;

  • Nonimmigrant or Parole Pathways for Entrepreneur Employment in the United States; and

  • Immigrant Pathways for Entrepreneur Employment in the United States.

Do's and Don'ts for International Job Applicants

Realize that résumés in the U.S. and other countries may look different but that you must follow the U.S. standard.

Realize that résumés in the U.S. and other countries may look different but that you must follow the U.S. standard.

More Tips for International Applicants:

• Use a formal approach, at least at first. Address the interviewer as Mr. or Ms. ..., unless you are greeted with something like: “Hi, I’m Christopher. Feel free to call me Chris.”
  
  

• Focus on what you can do for the company to help it be successful; while self-promotion is considered in very poor taste in some cultures, in the U.S. it is essential to getting the job.
  
  

• Treat every job interview as the employer’s opportunity to assess what you could do for the company and your opportunity to determine whether you really would want to work there.
  
  

• Prepare good questions that will give you more information about the job.

• If applicable, apply for off-campus work authorization well in advance of your start date.

Do's and Don'ts for Employers

More Do's: 

• Realize that the interview and hiring process works very differently in other countries.

• Focus on the bona fide job qualifications of the applicant rather than ask questions about his/her country and culture (unless you are fairly well informed about them).

Get a New Job? Resources for New Employees

You've been offered the job; now what?  Here is a selection of resources to help you navigate the next steps.