can a currently employed F1 person apply for a work permit?...... Well if you dont have a permit you are working against the rule...... and the next thing is are you going around the INS office and saying that you are working without permit? Well in that case u are a gone case, but if you apply for a work permit ....plain and simple you will get one. For IRS visit www.irs.gov for INS visit www.uscis.gov