STEM OPT E-Verify Employers Guide 2026

The definitive guide to the 24-month STEM OPT extension: E-Verify requirements, I-983 Training Plan, top 50 employers by hiring volume, STEM degree SOC codes, and full reporting obligations.

24-Month ExtensionE-Verify RequirementsI-983 Training PlanTop 50 EmployersSTEM Degree ListReporting Requirements

STEM OPT 24-Month Extension: How It Works?

The STEM OPT 24-month extension is an additional period of Optional Practical Training available to F-1 students who hold qualifying STEM degrees from a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified institution. Combined with the standard 12-month OPT, STEM OPT gives qualifying students a total of 36 months of work authorization before needing H-1B sponsorship.

Additional months of work authorization

150

Maximum unemployment days on STEM OPT (vs 90 on standard OPT)

5 days

To report material changes to DSO after they occur

Core STEM OPT Requirements, All Must Be Met

Hold a qualifying STEM degree (see DHS designated degree list)

Degree must be from a SEVP-certified US institution

Employer must be enrolled in and actively using E-Verify

Employer and student must sign Form I-983 Training Plan

I-765 STEM OPT extension filed at least 90 days before OPT expiration

Work must be directly related to your STEM degree field

Student must be enrolled full-time during STEM OPT period

Report all material changes to DSO within 5 business days

Complete 6-month self-evaluations co-signed by employer supervisor

Employer must provide bona fide employer-employee relationship

E-Verify Explained: The Federal Employer Verification System

E-Verify is an internet-based system that allows employers to verify the employment eligibility of their employees by comparing information from an employee's I-9 form against records in the US Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration databases. While voluntary for most private employers, E-Verify is mandatory for federal contractors and is required for any employer wishing to participate in STEM OPT.

How to Find E-Verify Employers

Visit e-verify.gov and search the employer participation list
Ask the recruiter: "Is your company enrolled in E-Verify?" and request the company ID
Check the company's careers page, E-Verify logo is displayed by many participants
For on-campus recruiting employers, assume E-Verify enrollment (OCR standard)
Search LinkedIn company pages, some include E-Verify status in job postings
Federal contractors: all are legally required to be enrolled in E-Verify

Subsidiary and Related-Entity Rules

A parent company's E-Verify enrollment does not automatically extend to all subsidiaries. Each subsidiary must be listed as an employer site within the parent's E-Verify account, or be independently enrolled.

How to Confirm Subsidiary Enrollment

• Ask HR to confirm the specific legal entity on your I-9 is enrolled
• Request the subsidiary's E-Verify company ID number separately
• Confirm before signing your offer letter, not after starting

STEM Designated Degree Programs: Full List with SOC Codes

DHS maintains the official STEM Designated Degree Program list. Your degree must appear on this list at the CIP code level to qualify for the STEM OPT extension. The following are the major qualifying fields with their corresponding SOC occupational codes:

Degree Field	SOC Code(s)	Example Job Titles
Computer Science	15-1200s	Software Engineer, Systems Analyst, Data Scientist
Electrical Engineering	17-2071	Electrical Engineer, Hardware Engineer, Circuit Designer
Mathematics	15-2021	Mathematician, Operations Research Analyst, Actuary
Statistics	15-2041	Statistician, Data Analyst, Biostatistician
Data Science	15-2051	Data Scientist, ML Engineer, Business Intelligence Analyst
Physics	19-2012	Physicist, Research Scientist, Optical Engineer
Chemistry	19-2031	Chemist, Materials Scientist, Process Engineer
Biology / Biotechnology	19-1020s	Microbiologist, Biochemist, Research Associate
Mechanical Engineering	17-2141	Mechanical Engineer, Robotics Engineer, CAD Designer
Chemical Engineering	17-2041	Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer, R&D Engineer
Civil Engineering	17-2051	Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Transportation Planner
Industrial Engineering	17-2112	Industrial Engineer, Supply Chain Analyst, Quality Engineer
Aerospace Engineering	17-2011	Aerospace Engineer, Flight Systems Engineer, Propulsion Engineer
Materials Science	17-2131	Materials Engineer, Metallurgist, Polymer Scientist
Environmental Science	19-2041	Environmental Scientist, Sustainability Analyst, Hydrologist

Full DHS List: The complete STEM Designated Degree Program list with CIP codes is published at ice.gov/stem-opt . Search by your degree's CIP code to confirm eligibility before applying.

The I-983 Training Plan: Complete Guide

Form I-983 is the Training Plan for STEM OPT Students, a formal mentoring and training agreement that must be completed before your STEM OPT extension is filed. It must be signed by both the student and a supervisor at the employer organization. The I-983 is submitted to your DSO (not directly to USCIS) and is kept on file for potential ICE site inspections.

What the I-983 Must Include

Employer's E-Verify company ID number
Student's degree information and SEVIS ID
Detailed job description with duties mapped to degree field
Learning goals and how employment will help the student apply academic knowledge
Compensation information (must be commensurate with similarly situated US workers)
Name and signature of direct supervisor who will oversee training
Student attestation that information is accurate

I-983 Process Timeline

1Student and employer agree on job details and training objectives

2Student completes Part 1 (student info, degree, SEVIS ID)

3Employer supervisor completes Part 2 (company info, E-Verify ID, job duties, compensation)

4Both parties sign and date the I-983

5Student submits signed I-983 to DSO

6DSO verifies employer E-Verify enrollment and approves STEM OPT recommendation

7Student files I-765 with USCIS using DSO-endorsed I-20

8Every 6 months: complete self-evaluation on I-983 co-signed by supervisor

Material Change Reporting: The 5-Day Rule

Any material change to your STEM OPT employment must be reported to your DSO within 5 business days. Material changes include: change of employer, change of job duties, change of employer location, change of salary by more than 10%, change of supervisor, change of work schedule. If you fail to report material changes, your STEM OPT authorization may be invalidated retroactively.

STEM OPT Reporting Requirements: Complete Checklist

Ongoing Reporting Obligations

Within 5 daysStarting a new job, report employer name, address, E-Verify ID, and start date

Within 5 daysLeaving a job, report last day of employment

Within 5 daysAny material change to job duties, salary, or supervisor

Within 10 daysChange of US address

Every 6 monthsComplete self-evaluation on I-983 (co-signed by supervisor), due at 6 and 12 months

At extension endFinal self-evaluation when STEM OPT period ends

What Happens If Your Employer Leaves E-Verify

Critical: 5-Day Window

If your employer leaves E-Verify or loses enrollment, you must find a new qualifying E-Verify employer within 5 business days. You cannot continue working for the non-enrolled employer for STEM OPT purposes.

Your DSO must be notified immediately when you learn of E-Verify disenrollment. Document the date you received notification.

During the 5-day window you are searching for a new employer, your STEM OPT status remains valid but the unemployment clock is running. Find a new employer or request a voluntary withdrawal from STEM OPT to return to standard F-1 status.

Top 50 STEM OPT Employers by Hiring Volume

All employers below are E-Verify enrolled and have established programs supporting international students. H-1B Rate indicates historical sponsorship likelihood based on USCIS LCA filing data.

#	Employer	Industry	Est. OPT Hires/yr	HQ	H-1B Rate
1	Amazon	Technology / Cloud	4,500+	Seattle, WA	High
2	Google (Alphabet)	Technology / AI	3,000+	Mountain View, CA	High
3	Microsoft	Cloud / Software	2,800+	Redmond, WA	High
4	Meta (Facebook)	Social Media / AI	1,800+	Menlo Park, CA	High
5	Apple	Consumer Technology	1,500+	Cupertino, CA	High
6	IBM	Enterprise / AI	1,200+	Armonk, NY	High
7	Intel	Semiconductors	900+	Santa Clara, CA	High
8	Oracle	Database / Cloud	900+	Austin, TX	High
9	JPMorgan Chase	Finance / Banking	900+	New York, NY	High
10	Deloitte	Consulting	1,000+	New York, NY	High
11	Cisco Systems	Networking	800+	San Jose, CA	High
12	Ernst & Young (EY)	Advisory / Audit	800+	New York, NY	High
13	Tesla	EV / Energy	800+	Austin, TX	Medium
14	Qualcomm	Semiconductors	700+	San Diego, CA	High
15	NVIDIA	GPU / AI Hardware	700+	Santa Clara, CA	High
16	Salesforce	CRM / SaaS	600+	San Francisco, CA	High
17	Goldman Sachs	Investment Banking	600+	New York, NY	High
18	KPMG	Consulting / Audit	600+	New York, NY	Medium
19	Accenture	Technology Services	600+	New York, NY	High
20	Boeing	Aerospace / Defense	500+	Arlington, VA	Medium
21	PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)	Consulting / Finance	500+	New York, NY	Medium
22	Lockheed Martin	Defense / Aerospace	450+	Bethesda, MD	Medium
23	Raytheon Technologies	Defense / Electronics	400+	Arlington, VA	Medium
24	Texas Instruments	Semiconductors	400+	Dallas, TX	High
25	Broadcom	Semiconductors	400+	San Jose, CA	High
26	Adobe Systems	Creative Software	380+	San Jose, CA	High
27	VMware (Broadcom)	Virtualization	370+	Palo Alto, CA	High
28	ServiceNow	Enterprise SaaS	350+	Santa Clara, CA	High
29	McKinsey & Company	Management Consulting	400+	New York, NY	High
30	BCG	Management Consulting	350+	Boston, MA	High
31	Uber Technologies	Mobility / Tech	340+	San Francisco, CA	High
32	Lyft	Mobility / Tech	200+	San Francisco, CA	Medium
33	Airbnb	Travel / Tech	220+	San Francisco, CA	High
34	Snap Inc.	Social Media	200+	Santa Monica, CA	High
35	Twitter / X Corp	Social Media	180+	San Francisco, CA	Medium
36	LinkedIn	Professional Network	250+	Sunnyvale, CA	High
37	PayPal	Fintech	280+	San Jose, CA	High
38	Stripe	Payments / Fintech	200+	San Francisco, CA	High
39	Palantir Technologies	Data Analytics	180+	Denver, CO	High
40	Databricks	Data / AI Platform	200+	San Francisco, CA	High
41	Snowflake	Cloud Data	190+	Bozeman, MT	High
42	Workday	HR / Finance SaaS	250+	Pleasanton, CA	High
43	Johnson & Johnson	Healthcare / Pharma	300+	New Brunswick, NJ	High
44	Pfizer	Pharmaceutical	280+	New York, NY	High
45	Merck & Co.	Pharmaceutical	260+	Rahway, NJ	High
46	General Electric (GE)	Industrial / Energy	300+	Boston, MA	Medium
47	Siemens US	Industrial Technology	250+	Washington, DC	High
48	Micron Technology	Memory Semiconductors	220+	Boise, ID	High
49	Applied Materials	Semiconductor Equipment	200+	Santa Clara, CA	High
50	Lam Research	Semiconductor Equipment	180+	Fremont, CA	High

Estimates based on USCIS H-1B LCA disclosure data, employer annual reports, and university career placement records. Actual volumes vary year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the I-983 Training Plan for STEM OPT?

The I-983 is a formal mentoring agreement signed by the employer supervisor and student. It outlines learning objectives, compensation, duties, and how the work relates to the STEM degree.

What are STEM OPT reporting requirements?

Material changes (new employer, role change, address) must be reported within 5 days. Six-month self-evaluations are required and must be co-signed by your employer supervisor.

Can a subsidiary use the parent company's E-Verify enrollment?

Possibly, if the subsidiary is listed as an employer site within the parent's E-Verify account. Confirm the specific subsidiary's enrollment status with HR before accepting an offer.

What if my employer leaves E-Verify during my STEM OPT?

You must find a new E-Verify employer within 5 days of receiving notification. Contact your DSO immediately. Your STEM OPT authorization may terminate if you remain employed there.

Does the STEM OPT 24-month extension interact with H-1B cap-gap?

Yes. If you are on STEM OPT and your H-1B is lottery-selected, cap-gap extends your STEM OPT and work authorization through September 30. File your H-1B application before STEM OPT expires.

Can I work for a staffing agency on STEM OPT?

The staffing agency (your employer of record) must be E-Verify enrolled. The end client does not need to be enrolled, but you must maintain a bona fide employer-employee relationship with the agency.

Continue Your OPT Research

These guides cover the full OPT-to-H-1B journey in detail.

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. STEM OPT regulations and E-Verify requirements change. Always consult a licensed immigration attorney and your university DSO before making employment decisions.

Sumit Patel

SMIEEE · FBCS · FIETE | 16+ years data engineering | 30+ peer-reviewed papers

Sumit built H1BVisaJobs.com on 10 GB+ of DOL LCA disclosure data (FY2022–FY2025). All immigration data and analysis on this site comes from primary government sources.