(UNITED STATES) F-1 students working on Optional Practical Training are facing fresh worry as delayed start dates at major tech employers collide with strict limits on unemployment days and closer checks of SEVIS records in 2025. One recent case involves a graduate with a full‑time offer from Amazon, but no clear joining date, who has already used 57 of the allowed 60 unemployment days under F-1 OPT. With the current employer insisting the student come off payroll immediately, even a short gap before Amazon confirms a start date could push the student out of status and force them to leave the country.
How OPT unemployment rules work
OPT lets international graduates work in the United States for up to 12 months in roles directly tied to their field of study. During that 12‑month OPT period:
- Students are allowed only 60 days of unemployment.
- Each day between jobs counts toward that unemployment total.
- Once the 60‑day limit is reached, the student is considered out of status and may need to depart immediately, even if an employer has promised a role that has not yet started.
The Amazon case: fragile status and SEVIS problems
The Amazon case highlights how fragile F-1 OPT status can become when offers do not convert into active employment on time.
- The student has used 57 unemployment days and faces removal from payroll immediately by the current employer.
- An outdated volunteer internship entry still appears as active employment in the student’s SEVIS record, despite the work having ended long ago.
- Overlapping or outdated SEVIS entries can create confusion when immigration officers or school officials review records. The system may show work that no longer exists while a new job has not begun.
If an employer postpones a start date or fails to confirm it clearly in writing, there may be no way to avoid crossing the unemployment limit, which can trigger the loss of lawful status.
Payroll gap consequences and immediate risks
Under current rules:
- Once pay stops and no other valid employment has started, each day generally counts as an unemployment day for F-1 OPT.
- With only three days left before reaching the 60‑day ceiling in this case, the student has almost no room for delay.
- If Amazon postpones the start date again or does not confirm it in writing, the student risks being out of status.
⚠️ Outdated or duplicate SEVIS entries can misrepresent your status. Avoid accepting roles that aren’t clearly active and ensure any previous positions are closed before new work begins.
Practical consequences of losing status often include:
- Immediate requirement to leave the country
- Sudden disruption of housing and finances
- Potential need to sell vehicles or other assets quickly
Wider context: layoffs, hiring pauses, and policy shifts
- Amazon continued a wave of layoffs that began in October 2025, increasing uncertainty for international workers.
- Job cuts and hiring freezes affect both F-1 OPT participants and H‑1B professionals who depend on continuous employment to maintain visas.
- Even when offers remain intact, start dates can slide for months as companies reassess staffing needs. For F-1 graduates with limited unemployment days, small delays can have life-changing effects.
Policy changes in 2025 added pressure:
- Authorities increased scrutiny under a “Hire American” agenda.
- Stricter checks now focus on whether jobs truly match a graduate’s field of study and whether employers meet verification duties.
- Proposals to shorten OPT periods have circulated.
- Immigration officers are issuing more Requests for Evidence (RFEs) when they see gaps or confusion in employment records.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, these trends mean students cannot assume that minor mistakes in SEVIS, or brief unexplained breaks between jobs, will be ignored in future applications.
Additional constraints for STEM OPT students
Students on STEM OPT extensions face even tighter rules when job offers stall:
- STEM extensions allow work beyond the initial 12 months for certain science, technology, engineering, and math fields.
- Employers must be enrolled in E‑Verify.
- Students and employers must follow a detailed training plan on Form I-983 training plan.
Important resources (preserved links):
- Form I-983 training plan: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/i983.pdf
- Study in the States OPT guidance: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/students/working/optional-practical-training
U.S. officials explain that any material change in the Form I-983 plan can require new approvals, so a delayed or changed start date may raise even more questions for STEM students.
SEVIS accuracy and the role of DSOs
Because SEVIS holds the official record of each student’s history, Designated School Officials (DSOs) urge graduates to keep every entry up to date.
- DSOs can:
- Correct SEVIS records
- Close out old entries
- Record new employment once it actually begins
- DSOs cannot erase days when no valid work existed.
In the Amazon case, an outdated volunteer listing could falsely suggest the student is holding two roles at once or has steady work when they do not. When immigration officers compare SEVIS data with pay records, tax forms, and benefit requests, they may question apparent inconsistencies.
Choices students face and common stopgap responses
For students nearing the unemployment deadline, choices can be harsh:
- Some accept short‑term or poorly matched jobs just to stop the unemployment clock, even if the work does not reflect their degree.
- Others rush into unpaid “volunteer” roles that do not clearly meet OPT rules, simply to avoid a gap in SEVIS.
- When major employers delay onboarding, students are torn between staying loyal to a promised offer and taking stopgap employment to preserve status.
Recommended actions and advice
Advisers often stress that students in this position should act quickly:
🔔 When you’re near the 60-day unemployment cap, contact your DSO immediately to review entries, confirm new employment, and prevent status loss. Keep all written confirmations handy.
- Speak with your DSO immediately to:
- Review SEVIS entries
- Correct or close outdated records
- Record new employment when it begins
- Consult a qualified immigration lawyer where possible to:
- Review legal options before the final unemployment days are used
- Respond to potential RFEs or status questions
- Ask employers for clear, written confirmation of start dates to document intentions and timelines.
Key takeaway
The Amazon delay case illustrates how thin the margin for error has become for graduates trying to build careers in the United States. In the current climate of layoffs, stricter verification, and potential cuts to work programs, even brief delays or SEVIS errors can have severe consequences for F-1 OPT students.
F-1 OPT students face heightened risk in 2025 as delayed start dates at major employers can push graduates past the 60-day unemployment limit. A case at Amazon shows a student with 57 unemployment days, outdated SEVIS entries, and imminent payroll termination, risking loss of status. DSOs can correct records but not remove unemployment days. Advisors urge students to get written employer confirmations, update SEVIS immediately, and consult immigration counsel, especially for STEM OPT cases with I-983 requirements.
