When Does the OPT Unemployment Clock Start?
Short answer
On the OPT start date printed on your EAD. The 90-day count begins that day even if you are still looking for your first job, and it runs through your OPT end date.
The Clock Starts on Your EAD Start Date
The unemployment count starts on the OPT start date printed on your EAD, not on the day you find work and not on the day the card arrives in the mail. Every day between that start date and your first day of qualifying employment counts as unemployment.
The arithmetic is direct. If your OPT starts July 1 and your first job begins August 15, you used 45 unemployment days before your first day of work. That leaves 45 of the 90.
Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(E), OPT unemployment day limits
Days Outside the OPT Period Do Not Count
- Days between graduation and your OPT start date do not count. You are not on OPT yet.
- Days after your OPT end date do not count, including the 60-day grace period.
The count runs only between the start date and the end date printed on your EAD. Days outside that window are never unemployment days, whatever your job situation.
Starting a Job Stops the Clock but Never Resets It
The count is cumulative across your whole OPT period. Your first day of qualifying employment, work of at least 20 hours per week related to your degree, stops new days from accruing. The days already used stay on your record, so a later layoff resumes the count where it stopped.
SEVIS holds the official count and your DSO maintains it. The OPT unemployment days guide covers which days count and what happens at 90.
Track Your Unemployment Days
Enter your OPT dates and any periods when you were not employed. The tool counts your total unemployment days.
OPT information
OPT type
Unemployment periods
No unemployment periods entered. If you have been continuously employed throughout your OPT, leave this section blank.
Add a gap in employment. Leave end date blank if you are currently unemployed.
Enter your OPT dates above to see your unemployment day count.
This tool counts calendar days based on what you enter. Your official unemployment day count is in your SEVIS record. Verify the count with your DSO before approaching the limit.
See how many unemployment days you have left
Enter your OPT start date and track the days you can spend between jobs before your authorization is at risk.
Related Questions
How Many Unemployment Days Are Allowed on OPT?
90 days. Post-completion OPT allows at most 90 days of unemployment across the entire authorization period, counted in calendar days. A 24-month STEM OPT extension raises the combined total to 150 days.
Read answerDoes OPT Unemployment Include Weekends?
Yes. Weekends count as unemployment days on post-completion OPT. The 90-day limit is measured in calendar days, so a Saturday or Sunday without qualifying employment counts the same as a Monday.
Read answerHow to Check Your OPT Unemployment Days
Log in to the SEVP Portal and count the gaps between the employment dates it lists, or ask your DSO for the count in your SEVIS record. The portal shows your reported employers but no running day total.
Read answer