# Osito > Osito is a resource for international students and workers navigating US immigration. It provides interactive tools, government data, and educational guides covering OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, H-1B, E-3, and J-1 visas. All content is available in English, Arabic, Spanish, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Chinese (Simplified). Language variants are served at locale-prefixed paths (e.g. `/en/`, `/es/`, `/ja/`). ## Data Osito combines four US government data sources: - [DOL LCA Disclosure Data](https://osito.co/en/h1b): 2.8M+ certified Labor Condition Applications from FY2021 Q1 through FY2026 Q2, covering H-1B and E-3 employer sponsorship, job titles, and prevailing wages. Published quarterly by DOL/OFLC. - [ICE SEVIS Employer Reports](https://osito.co/en/employers): Top 200 OPT, STEM OPT, and CPT employers from annual ICE/SEVP reports, with year-over-year hiring trends for F-1 work authorization. - [ICE SEVIS Top 500 F-1 Schools](https://osito.co/en/f1/schools): F-1 enrollment data for 3,700+ schools with year-over-year trends from 2017 to 2024, sourced from annual ICE/SEVP reports. - [DHS SEVP Certified Schools List](https://osito.co/en/f1/schools): Rolling list of all SEVP-certified schools authorized to enroll F-1 and M-1 students, published by DHS. ## Tools - [F-1 Student Visa Hub](https://osito.co/en/f1): Overview of F-1 status, with links to the OPT/CPT date tool, school enrollment data, and F-1 guides. - [OPT/CPT Date Calculator](https://osito.co/en/f1/opt): Calculate OPT and CPT work authorization dates, application windows, and deadlines based on program details. - [H-1B Employer Search](https://osito.co/en/h1b): Search 163,000+ employers by name, view H-1B sponsorship history, salary statistics, and job titles from DOL LCA data. - [E-3 Employer Search](https://osito.co/en/e3): Look up E-3 visa employer data including salary medians and LCA filings for Australian nationals. - [F-1 School Explorer](https://osito.co/en/f1/schools): Browse F-1 enrollment data for 3,700+ schools with year-over-year trends from 2017 to 2024. - [Employer Index](https://osito.co/en/employers): Paginated directory of employers with H-1B, E-3, OPT, STEM OPT, and CPT sponsorship data. - [H-1B Cap-Exempt Employers](https://osito.co/en/employers/cap-exempt): Universities, colleges, and research institutes that can file H-1B petitions outside the annual lottery, filterable by state, built from DOL LCA data via NAICS higher education codes and unambiguous name matching. - [J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa](https://osito.co/en/j1): J-1 visa programs and requirements for scholars, students, trainees, interns, and au pairs. Under development. ## Reports English-only annual data publications built from the government datasets above. - [OPT Employment Report](https://osito.co/en/reports/opt-employment): Annual report on the employers hiring the most international students on OPT, STEM OPT, and CPT, from ICE SEVIS top-employer data joined to DOL H-1B LCA filings: top employers nationally and by state, industry breakdown, and which top OPT employers also file H-1B LCAs. ## Guides: OPT and F-1 - [What is OPT?](https://osito.co/en/guides/what-is-opt): Overview of Optional Practical Training for F-1 students, covering pre-completion and post-completion OPT types and duration. - [Pre-completion vs Post-completion OPT](https://osito.co/en/guides/pre-completion-vs-post-completion-opt): Work-hour limits, application windows, and how the two OPT types differ. - [OPT Application Step-by-Step](https://osito.co/en/guides/opt-application-step-by-step): Walkthrough from requesting your I-20 to receiving your EAD card. - [How to Fill Out Form I-765 for OPT](https://osito.co/en/guides/i-765-application): Line-by-line Form I-765 instructions for OPT and STEM OPT, with category codes, current fees, online vs paper filing, the document checklist, and processing times. - [OPT Processing Time](https://osito.co/en/guides/opt-processing-time): How long USCIS takes to approve post-completion OPT (Form I-765, category (c)(3)), the current wait, and how it has trended across recent monthly updates. - [USCIS Case Status for OPT: How to Check and Read Your I-765](https://osito.co/en/guides/uscis-case-status): How to check a pending I-765 on the USCIS Case Status page and in a USCIS online account, how to read a receipt number, what each case status means, and when to submit a case inquiry. - [OPT Unemployment Days](https://osito.co/en/guides/opt-unemployment-days): How the 90-day unemployment limit works, which days count, and what happens when you exceed it. - [EAD Expedite Request](https://osito.co/en/guides/opt-ead-expedite): How to submit an EAD expedite request, what it costs, and how USCIS evaluates requests. - [How to Report OPT Employment (and What to Do if You Forgot)](https://osito.co/en/guides/opt-employment-reporting): Step-by-step SEVP Portal reporting instructions and how to fix your SEVIS record after a missed 10-day deadline. - [SEVP Portal: Login, Account Setup, and OPT Reporting](https://osito.co/en/guides/sevp-portal): What the SEVP Portal is, account creation and first login, unlocking a locked account, and reporting employers and addresses on OPT and STEM OPT. - [International Travel on OPT](https://osito.co/en/guides/opt-travel): Documents needed for re-entry and risks of travel during pending applications. - [OPT Grace Period](https://osito.co/en/guides/opt-grace-period): The 60-day window after OPT ends, what activities are permitted, and how it affects status. - [OPT Cap Gap](https://osito.co/en/guides/opt-cap-gap): Work authorization extension while waiting for H-1B, and how the transition works. - [Self-Employment on OPT](https://osito.co/en/guides/self-employment-on-opt): Whether OPT allows freelance work, how the 1099 gray area works, and LLC options. - [OPT Taxes](https://osito.co/en/guides/opt-taxes): FICA exemption, Form 1040-NR, and tax treaties for F-1 OPT students. ## Guides: STEM OPT - [STEM OPT Extension](https://osito.co/en/guides/stem-opt-extension): The 24-month STEM OPT extension, including CIP code requirements and application process. - [Form I-983 Training Plan](https://osito.co/en/guides/stem-opt-i983): How to complete the I-983 training plan, who fills out each section, and common mistakes. - [STEM OPT Employer Requirements](https://osito.co/en/guides/stem-opt-employer-requirements): E-Verify enrollment, Form I-983, and what US employers must have to hire STEM OPT students. - [STEM OPT Unemployment Days](https://osito.co/en/guides/stem-opt-unemployment): The 150-day unemployment limit during STEM OPT and how days from initial OPT carry over. - [Premium Processing for STEM OPT](https://osito.co/en/guides/stem-opt-premium-processing): How to request 15-business-day processing and what Form I-907 covers. ## Guides: CPT - [CPT Eligibility and Requirements](https://osito.co/en/guides/cpt-eligibility-requirements): How Curricular Practical Training works, who can use it, and the relationship between CPT and OPT. ## Guides: H-1B - [H-1B Cap Timeline for OPT Students](https://osito.co/en/guides/h1b-cap-timeline-for-opt-students): H-1B cap season schedule, the lottery process, cap-gap extensions, and how OPT connects to H-1B. - [Not Selected in the H-1B Lottery: Your Options](https://osito.co/en/guides/h1b-lottery-not-selected): Paths after a non-selection, including remaining OPT and STEM OPT time, cap-exempt employers, E-3, TN, H-1B1, O-1, and study-based routes. ## Guides: E-3 - [E-3 Visa Requirements](https://osito.co/en/guides/e3-visa-requirements): Specialty occupation standards, degree and equivalency rules for E-3 applicants. - [E-3 Visa Application Process](https://osito.co/en/guides/e3-visa-process): From job offer and LCA filing through consular processing and visa stamp. - [E-3 Visa Renewal](https://osito.co/en/guides/e3-visa-renewal): USCIS extension vs. consular reprocessing, costs, and timing. - [E-3 Visa to Green Card](https://osito.co/en/guides/e3-visa-green-card): EB-2 and EB-3 pathways, dual intent considerations, and timing risks. - [E-3 vs H-1B](https://osito.co/en/guides/e3-vs-h1b): Side-by-side comparison on cap, lottery, cost, dual intent, and portability. - [E-3 Visa for Irish Nationals](https://osito.co/en/guides/e3-visa-ireland): Status of the proposed E-3 expansion to Irish nationals across multiple Congresses. - [E-3 Dependent Visas](https://osito.co/en/guides/e3-visa-dependents): E-3S spouse and E-3Y child status, including spouse work authorization. - [E-3 Visa LCA Filing](https://osito.co/en/guides/e3-visa-lca): How to file Form ETA 9035 on FLAG, find prevailing wages, and submit the LCA. - [E-3 Visa Self-Employment](https://osito.co/en/guides/e3-visa-self-employment): Forming a US entity, the employer-employee relationship requirement, and workarounds. - [E-3 Visa Job Loss](https://osito.co/en/guides/e3-visa-job-loss): The 60-day grace period, portability options, and next steps after losing a job on E-3. ## Answers Single-question pages that state the answer first and then link into the tools. Available in all eight languages. - [How Many Unemployment Days Are Allowed on OPT?](https://osito.co/en/answers/how-many-unemployment-days-on-opt): 90 cumulative calendar days across the whole post-completion OPT period, which days count, and the 150-day combined total with a STEM extension. - [When Does the OPT Unemployment Clock Start?](https://osito.co/en/answers/when-does-opt-unemployment-clock-start): The count starts on the OPT start date printed on the EAD, even before the first job, and stops without resetting when qualifying employment begins. - [Does OPT Unemployment Include Weekends?](https://osito.co/en/answers/does-opt-unemployment-include-weekends): Weekends and federal holidays count toward the 90-day OPT unemployment limit, which days count between jobs, and how to check the count in SEVIS. - [How to Check Your OPT Unemployment Days](https://osito.co/en/answers/how-to-check-opt-unemployment-days): The SEVP Portal lists reported employers but no running day total, so students count the gaps between employment dates or ask their DSO for the SEVIS count. - [What Happens After 90 Days of Unemployment on OPT?](https://osito.co/en/answers/what-happens-after-90-days-unemployment-opt): Exceeding 90 days is a status violation: SEVP can terminate the SEVIS record and the 60-day grace period no longer applies. - [How Many Unemployment Days Do You Get on STEM OPT?](https://osito.co/en/answers/stem-opt-unemployment-days): 150 days total across initial OPT plus the 24-month STEM extension, with days used before the extension counting toward the same 150. - [Does the 90-Day OPT Unemployment Rule Reset?](https://osito.co/en/answers/does-the-90-day-opt-unemployment-rule-reset): The count never resets during an OPT period: a job pauses it where it stands, 180 days changes nothing, and only a new OPT authorization at a higher degree level brings a fresh count. - [What Is Pre-Completion OPT?](https://osito.co/en/answers/what-is-pre-completion-opt): Work authorization used before graduation, capped at 20 hours per week while school is in session, full time on breaks, drawn from the 12-month OPT total. - [What Are Pre-Completion and Post-Completion OPT?](https://osito.co/en/answers/what-are-pre-completion-and-post-completion-opt): The two phases of OPT, how their work rules and filing windows differ, and the single 12-month allowance they share per degree level. - [Does Pre-Completion OPT Reduce the 12 Months of OPT?](https://osito.co/en/answers/does-pre-completion-opt-reduce-post-completion-opt): Yes: part-time pre-completion OPT of 20 hours per week or less is deducted at half rate, full-time in full, with USCIS worked examples. - [Can F-1 Students Work Before Graduation on OPT?](https://osito.co/en/answers/can-f1-students-work-before-graduation-on-opt): Yes, on pre-completion OPT after one full academic year: 20 hours per week during the school year, full time during official breaks. ## Blog English-only news and data posts linking into the guides and data pages above. - [Blog Index](https://osito.co/en/blog): News and data updates for international students and workers in the US. - [H-1B Filings Under the $100,000 Fee: The First Data Is In](https://osito.co/en/blog/h1b-lca-update-fy2026-q2): Six months of DOL LCA data under the $100,000 H-1B fee: filings for new jobs down 41%, job-change filings steady, record median salary, and which employers pulled back or grew. - [Arriving This Fall: What F-1 Students Should Set Up in Their First Semester](https://osito.co/en/blog/f1-first-semester-setup): First-semester basics for new F-1 students: the I-20 and SEVIS record, on-campus work rules, what CPT and OPT are, and when dates start to matter. ## Optional - [About](https://osito.co/en/about): Background on Osito and its mission. - [Guides Index](https://osito.co/en/guides): Browsable listing of all guides with filtering by visa type. - [Answers Index](https://osito.co/en/answers): Listing of single-question answer pages on OPT rules and dates. - [Contact](https://osito.co/en/contact): Contact form for questions and feedback. - [Terms of Service](https://osito.co/en/terms): Legal terms (English only). - [Privacy Policy](https://osito.co/en/privacy): Privacy policy (English only).