Limitation on Period of Unemployment for All Students on OPT
The new rule sets specific limits on the time during which a graduate on OPT may be unemployed in order to continue maintaining F-1 status. In the initial 12-month period of OPT available to all graduates, not more than 90 days of unemployment is permitted. STEM graduates who obtain a 17-month extension of OPT may not be unemployed for more than 120 days during the aggregate 29 months of OPT.