How to Work in the U.S. After Graduation

Maria graduated from a university in Brazil with a business degree and landed an internship offer in Chicago. She thought she could start immediately. Then HR asked for work authorization documents she didn't have.

Suddenly, she had to figure out OPT, employer sponsorship, and whether her degree even counted in the U.S.

Her story isn't unusual. Getting a work permit with a foreign degree involves several systems working at once: your visa status, employment authorization, and how your credentials translate. This guide walks you through each stage clearly — from your first day after graduation to long-term work authorization.

The U.S. Work Authorization System at a Glance

Before getting into the steps, here's how the main pathways compare:

Step 1: Get Your EAD Before You Start Work

Here's something a lot of graduates miss: you cannot legally start working until you have your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in hand. Not when you apply for it. Not when it's approved. When the physical card arrives.

The EAD — also called a work permit — is a card issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It shows your name, photo, visa classification, and the dates you're authorized to work. Employers use it to verify you're eligible to be hired.

To get one, you file Form I-765 with USCIS. If your application is approved, USCIS mails the card to you.

Current costs:

• Online filing: $470

• Paper filing: $520

How long it takes: As of late 2025, EAD processing takes 2 to 9 months depending on your visa category and which USCIS service center handles your case. Apply as early as you're eligible.

Important 2025 change: As of October 30, 2025, USCIS ended automatic EAD extensions for most renewal applicants. Previously, filing a renewal would automatically extend your authorization while you waited. That safety net is largely gone. File for renewal at least six months before your EAD expires or you risk a gap in your work authorization.

Step 2: Start With OPT

If you studied in the U.S. on an F-1 visa, this is usually your first move after graduation.

OPT — Optional Practical Training — lets you work in a job related to your degree. According to USCIS, F-1 students may work off-campus through OPT after completing their first academic year.

You get:

• 12 months if your degree isn't in a STEM field

• Up to 36 months if it is STEM (12 months plus a 24-month extension)

How to apply:

1. Talk to your Designated School Official (DSO) — they enter the OPT recommendation in SEVIS

2. File Form I-765 with your Form I-20 and proof of degree

3. Apply up to 90 days before your graduation date

4. Wait for your EAD to arrive before starting work

You don't need a job offer to apply. But once you're working, the role must connect directly to your field of study.

Watch out: You can only be unemployed for 90 days total during OPT. Exceed that, and your F-1 status is at risk.

Example: Priya graduates with a computer science degree in Texas and lands a software engineering role. She uses STEM OPT to work legally for three years while her employer begins the H-1B sponsorship process.

Step 3: Does Your Foreign Degree Count?

Here's where many graduates get stuck.

If your degree is from outside the U.S., USCIS needs to confirm it meets U.S. bachelor's standards. This becomes important when you move into employer-sponsored visa categories like the H-1B.

There are two ways USCIS assesses foreign degrees:

Option A — Credential evaluation. A professional evaluation agency reviews your degree and confirms it's equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's in your field. This typically costs $100 to $130 and takes 7 to 21 business days. USCIS requires the degree to come from a single institution — you can't combine certificates or diplomas from multiple schools to meet the standard.

Option B — The three-for-one rule. If your degree falls short, USCIS applies a degree equivalency rule where three years of specialized work experience counts as one year of academic study. That means 12 years of relevant, progressive experience can substitute for a four-year degree — but only when documented properly.

Get your credential evaluation done early. A weak or missing evaluation is one of the most common reasons USCIS sends a Request for Evidence, which can delay your case by months.

Example: A nurse from the Philippines may need to show that her degree matches U.S. nursing education standards before qualifying for employer sponsorship.

Step 4: Move to an H-1B Visa

OPT is temporary. When it runs out, most foreign graduates need employer sponsorship to keep working legally. The H-1B is the standard next step.

Some jobs qualify. Others don't. The H-1B is for roles that require a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific field — think engineering, technology, finance, healthcare, and similar professions.

The basics:

• Your employer files on your behalf

• Your foreign degree must clear the equivalency standard (see Step 3)

• The visa is granted for three years, extendable to six

• It can lead to employer-sponsored permanent residency

The hard part: H-1B visas are capped at 65,000 per year for bachelor's degree holders, plus 20,000 more for U.S. master's degree holders. Demand is far higher than supply, and selection is by lottery.

Big change for 2026: Starting with the April 2026 H-1B registration cycle, selection shifts from a random draw to a wage-ranked system. Higher-paying job offers have a better shot at selection. This makes salary negotiation more strategically important than it used to be.

Also worth knowing: As of September 2025, a new $100,000 filing fee applies to initial H-1B petitions. This affects employer decisions about who they're willing to sponsor.

Example: Ahmed earns a master's degree in data analytics and gets hired by a tech company in Seattle. His employer agrees to sponsor his H-1B. He applies during the March lottery and starts in October if selected.

Step 5: Apply for a Permanent Work Visa

If you want to stay and work in the U.S. long-term, you'll eventually need a permanent work visa — commonly called a green card through employment. The EB-3 visa is one of the most accessible routes.

Who qualifies:

• Skilled workers: roles requiring at least two years of training

• Professionals: positions requiring a bachelor's degree or its equivalent

• Other workers: roles requiring less than two years of training

How EB-3 works:

This is usually the longest and most frustrating part of the process. According to current DOL data, the Department of Labor is running about 15 to 16 months behind on PERM applications as of 2025. The full EB-3 journey — from first paperwork to green card — currently runs around three to four years for most applicants outside India and China, where backlogs are significantly longer.

The good news: once you file Form I-485, you can file Form I-765 at the same time to get a work permit. That EAD is typically approved in about three months, letting you work while your green card is still processing.

Example: A teacher hired by a private school in California works on an H-1B for several years. Her school sponsors her for an EB-3 green card. She files I-485 and receives a work permit within months — years before her green card is fully approved.

Other Visa Options Worth Knowing

The H-1B and EB-3 aren't the only routes. Depending on your background, one of these may fit better.

TN Visa — For Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying professions under the USMCA trade agreement. No annual cap, valid for three years, and renewable indefinitely. A bachelor's degree is required for most roles. The downside: it's not dual intent, so transitioning to a green card is more complicated.

O-1A Visa — For people with extraordinary ability in science, education, business, or athletics. No degree requirement, no annual cap. The bar for "extraordinary ability" is high — think published research, major awards, or industry recognition.

EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) — A permanent visa that lets you self-petition without an employer sponsor. You must show an advanced degree or exceptional ability and demonstrate that your work benefits the U.S. Processing can take up to a year after approval before a green card is issued. If your OPT is running out, apply early.

4 Common Mistakes to Avoid

These come up again and again — and most are avoidable.

1. Missing OPT deadlines. You can apply up to 90 days before graduation. Many students wait until after they graduate and lose weeks of work authorization while they wait for the EAD.

2. Taking jobs unrelated to your degree. On OPT, your work must connect to your field of study. A marketing graduate working in unrelated retail work risks losing F-1 status.

3. Assuming every employer sponsors visas. Many don't — especially smaller companies. Ask about sponsorship early in the hiring process, not after you've accepted an offer.

4. Waiting too long to renew paperwork. With automatic EAD extensions now ended for most categories, a late renewal application means a real gap in your ability to work. Mark the six-month renewal window in your calendar the day you receive your EAD.

Final Thoughts

Getting a work permit with a foreign degree can feel confusing at first. Most international graduates start with OPT, then move toward employer sponsorship if they want to stay longer.

The biggest mistake is waiting until graduation to figure it out.

Start early, talk to your school's international student office, and know your options before a job offer lands in your inbox.