You can change employers during the 24-month STEM OPT extension. USCIS's employer handbook says a STEM OPT student "may change employers or work at a different hiring site for the same employer," as long as the new employer or hiring site is enrolled in, and in good standing with, E-Verify before you begin (M-274, 7.4.2). But the steps have separate deadlines, and some belong to you, some to your old employer and some to your new one.
EADly's guides already cover the pieces: the Form I-983 guide (new and modified forms, evaluations), the STEM OPT guide (reporting after approval) and the SEVP Portal guide. This post puts them in order, with two fictional timelines and the unemployment math.
Not legal advice. This article summarizes official U.S. government sources. It is not legal or immigration advice. EADly is not a law firm and is not affiliated with USCIS, DHS or ICE. Your DSO, your employer or an immigration attorney can tell you how these rules apply to you. Last checked October 22, 2026 (PT). Each source's own date is in the Sources list.
The deadlines at a glance
| Who | What | When | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| New employer | Enrolled in E-Verify and in good standing, with an employer identification number (EIN) | Before you begin work for pay | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(5); Study in the States |
| You | Final evaluation for the old employer, signed by you and the employer | Your DSO receives it within 10 days after the job ends | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(9)(i) |
| Old employer | Reports your termination or departure to your DSO | Within five business days | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(6) |
| You | Report the loss of employment, and the new employer's name and address | Within 10 days of the change | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(ii)(A) |
| You and the new employer | New Form I-983, then a new DSO recommendation | To your DSO within 10 days of starting | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(7)(iv) |
A short gap between jobs. SEVP says that when a new job starts "less than 10 days after leaving the student's prior employer, the student may fulfill all reporting obligations (loss of employment and new training plan) by submitting a new Form I-983." When the gap is longer than 10 days, "the student must first report the loss of employment to the DSO and later submit a new Form I-983" (Study in the States, DSOs: STEM OPT Reporting Requirements). The final evaluation for the old job is a separate step either way.
Step by step: from your last day to your new job
| Step | When | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Check the new employer | Before you accept, and before your first paid day | Confirm that the employer and the hiring site where you'll work are enrolled in E-Verify. E-Verify's public employer search shows enrolled employers | M-274, 7.4.2; E-Verify |
| 2. Your last day at the old job | Day 0 | Save the date. Your old employer reports it to your DSO within five business days, which don't include weekends or federal holidays. An email to the DSO with the date can meet that requirement | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(6); Form I-983; Study in the States, employers |
| 3. Final evaluation | Your DSO receives it within 10 days after your last day | Fill in the final evaluation on the old Form I-983, sign it, have the employer's signing official sign it, and send it to your DSO | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(9)(i); I-983 instructions; Study in the States, students |
| 4. Report the loss of employment | Within 10 days of your last day, unless the new Form I-983 covers it (short gap) | Tell your DSO, the way your school asks | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(ii)(A); Study in the States, DSOs |
| 5. First day at the new job | The day you start | Start only once the employer is enrolled in E-Verify. Every day between the two jobs counts as unemployment | Study in the States, students |
| 6. New Form I-983 | Submit it to your DSO within 10 days of your start | Complete it with the new employer. The DSO reviews it and updates SEVIS with a new recommendation | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(7)(iv); Study in the States, DSOs |
| 7. Check your record | After your DSO updates SEVIS | The new employer appears in the SEVP Portal the day after the DSO enters it. Check the old end date and the new start date | Study in the States, SEVP Portal |
The regulations cited in the table are all in 8 CFR 214.2, eCFR as of Sept 14, 2026. The ICE instructions put the final evaluation the same way: "If a training opportunity ends early, the student must submit the final evaluation within 10 days following the conclusion of the training" (I-983 instructions).
Before you accept: what the new job has to meet
- E-Verify and an EIN. The employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, remain "a participant in good standing," and have an EIN (8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(5)). E-Verify says employment agencies and consulting firms that hire STEM OPT students must be enrolled, while "Third parties contracting with the agency or firm for which the student is providing services need not be enrolled" (E-Verify FAQ).
- Related to your degree. The training must be "directly related to the degree that qualifies the student for such extension" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(4)).
- 20 hours with each employer. You must "be employed for no less than 20 hours per week by each qualifying STEM OPT employer" (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 2, Pt. F, Ch. 5).
- A training plan the employer signs. The new employer completes and signs its parts of Form I-983 and makes the employer attestations. What the employer must attest to, and the site-visit rules, are in the Form I-983 guide.
The 12-month evaluation after you switch
The regulation ties the first evaluation to your STEM OPT EAD, not to your new job: "All STEM practical training opportunities require an initial evaluation within 12 months of the approved starting date on the employment authorization document ... and a concluding evaluation" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(9)(i)). Ask your DSO how they want the new employer's evaluations timed.
Unemployment days between jobs
- One limit for the whole period. With a STEM extension, unemployment may not total "more than 150 days ... during a total OPT period," counting post-completion OPT and the extension together (8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(E)). SEVP describes it as 90 days during post-completion OPT "plus an additional 60 days during the extension period" (Study in the States). The SEVIS counter for STEM OPT "includes any days accrued while on post-completion OPT" (SEVIS Help Hub, Unemployment Counter).
- Weekends count. SEVP's 2010 guidance counts "Each day (including weekends)" without qualifying employment (§7.1.6, SEVP Policy Guidance 1004-03). EADly counts the old job's last day and the new job's first day as days worked.
- Your end date doesn't move. "STEM OPT is not extended by periods of part-time employment or unemployment" (USCIS Policy Manual, Ch. 5).
- How SEVIS starts counting. When a DSO gets your report that a job ended, the DSO shortens the employment end date. "Shortening the last date of work is the catalyst for SEVIS counting unemployment" (Study in the States). SEVP tells DSOs to add the new employer first, then shorten or remove the old one, to "help prevent your student from accruing false unemployment days" (SEVIS Help Hub).
- If you left because the employer broke the rules. SEVP says such unemployment "on its own will not affect the STEM OPT student's status so long as the student reports changes in employment status and adheres to the overall unemployment limits" (Study in the States).
The edge cases, such as part-time weeks, trips and cap-gap, are in How OPT unemployment days are counted. To count your own days, use the unemployment days calculator.
Example 1 (fictional): a 16-day gap
Ana is on STEM OPT. She used 47 unemployment days during post-completion OPT and none since. Her last day at her old job is Friday, March 6, 2026. Her new job, with an employer enrolled in E-Verify, starts Monday, March 23, 2026.
| Date | What's due or what happens |
|---|---|
| Fri, March 6 | Last day at the old job. It counts as a day worked |
| Fri, March 13 | Last day for the old employer's report (five business days: March 9 to 13) |
| Mon, March 16 | 10 days after her last day. Her DSO needs the final evaluation, and her report of the loss of employment, because the gap is longer than 10 days |
| Mon, March 23 | First day at the new job. It counts as a day worked |
| Thu, April 2 | 10 days after her start. Last day to submit the new Form I-983 to her DSO |
Unemployment: March 7 to March 22 is 16 days. Her total is 47 + 16 = 63 used, 87 left of 150.
Example 2 (fictional): a weekend gap
Ben's last day is Friday, May 29, 2026. His new job starts Monday, June 1, 2026.
- Unemployment: May 30 and 31, so 2 days.
- The gap is less than 10 days, so SEVP says the new Form I-983 can cover both the loss of employment and the new plan. SEVP doesn't say which 10-day deadline applies then: the loss-of-employment report runs from his last day (Monday, June 8) and the new form from his start (Thursday, June 11). Sending the new form by June 8 meets both; his DSO can confirm what the school expects.
- The final evaluation for the old job is still due by Monday, June 8 (10 days after his last day).
- His old employer's five-business-day report is due by Friday, June 5.
New employer, or a change at the same employer?
Not every change is a new job. Here is how official sources sort them:
| What changed | What official sources say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A different employer | New Form I-983 within 10 days of starting, then a new DSO recommendation. E-Verify before paid work | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(7)(iv); Study in the States |
| A second STEM employer at the same time | SEVP says students "must submit a new Form I-983 for every new employment/training experience." At least 20 hours a week with each employer | SEVIS Help Hub; Policy Manual |
| Same employer, new work location | USCIS treats a change in your employment address as a material change, reported with a modified Form I-983. A new hiring site must be enrolled in E-Verify before you begin there | USCIS, STEM OPT; M-274, 7.4.2 |
| Same employer, new EIN after a corporate restructuring | Material change: modified Form I-983 | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(9)(ii) |
| A pay cut not tied to fewer hours, a significant drop in weekly hours, or hours below 20 a week | Material change: modified Form I-983 | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(9)(ii) |
| Changes to the employer's commitments or your learning objectives | Material change: modified Form I-983 | Study in the States |
| Anything that makes an employer attestation, or the form's details on the nature, purpose, oversight or assessment of your training, inaccurate | Material change: modified Form I-983 | 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(9)(ii) |
- A modified Form I-983 goes to your DSO "at the earliest available opportunity." The regulation gives no fixed number of days (8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(9)(ii)).
- A new employer address is also on the 10-day reporting list (8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(ii)(A)).
- SEVP says your employment authorization "will not cease based on a change to the plan," as long as you and the employer meet the rules and the modified form meets its requirements (Study in the States).
- A new title, new duties or a new supervisor isn't named on these lists. It can still make Section 5 of the form inaccurate, so ask your DSO whether it needs a modified form.
Where each report goes
- New employer: to your DSO, not the portal. STEM OPT students can't use the SEVP Portal's Add Employer feature. "By regulation, STEM OPT participants must send a completed Form I-983 to their DSO. Their DSO must enter the employer information into SEVIS" (Study in the States, Update Employer Information).
- Contact details and existing employer details. STEM OPT students "can also use the SEVP Portal to change personal contact information and existing employer information" (SEVIS Help Hub).
- How long your DSO has. "DSOs have 21 days from the date the student reports a change to update" SEVIS (SEVIS Help Hub).
- Six-month validation reports keep going. They're due to your DSO within 10 business days of each reporting date (8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(ii)(B)).
- Moving for the new job. Tell your DSO your new address within 10 days. That notice meets the DHS change-of-address rule (8 CFR 214.2(f)(17)). If you have a pending USCIS case, update the address with USCIS too (USCIS, How to Change Your Address).
Form I-9 at the new job
- Your new employer completes a Form I-9 with you. For a STEM OPT EAD, the handbook lists the EAD and its "Card Expires" date. The card states "STU: STEM OPT ONLY" (M-274, 7.4.2).
- Changing jobs while a STEM OPT application is pending. If your OPT EAD has expired and your timely STEM application is still pending, an employer may accept the expired EAD with a Form I-20 endorsed for the STEM extension. "If the student has changed employers, this Form I-20 must also contain the new employer's information" (same page). Ask your DSO for an updated I-20 before your first day.
- The handbook also says new employers or hiring sites "must timely report any change in the student's employment information" (same page).
Keeping track in EADly
EADly is a private, local-first app for iPhone and Android. For a job change it gives you:
- Something changed? → I changed jobs: a checklist for STEM OPT with its sources: the E-Verify check, the new Form I-983 within 10 days, the old job's final evaluation within 10 days, and reporting the new employer within 10 days.
- Reporting & SEVP: log what you sent your DSO and when.
- STEM OPT step-by-step guide: the job-change step has buttons to open E-Verify's official employer search, log an employer report and save the new Form I-983.
- Employment records and the unemployment counter: EADly Free saves every F-1 job (OPT, STEM OPT and CPT), so the count can be complete. The Unemployment Forecast card shows the days used and left on a date you pick.
- Document Vault: keep the signed Form I-983 and evaluations. EADly Free holds 1 file; EADly Plus has no file-count limit.
What it doesn't do: EADly doesn't send anything to your DSO, SEVIS, the SEVP Portal or USCIS, and it doesn't decide whether a job qualifies or whether you are in status. Get EADly on the App Store or Google Play. The download is free.
Common questions
Can I start a new STEM OPT job before my DSO gets the new Form I-983?
The regulation gives you 10 days after you begin the new job to submit the new Form I-983, followed by a new DSO recommendation. The employer must be enrolled in E-Verify before you begin work for pay. The regulation also says a student may not be authorized for employment with an employer unless the employer agrees, by signing Form I-983, to report the student's termination or departure (8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(6)). Ask your DSO if your school wants the form sooner.
When is the final evaluation due if I change jobs on STEM OPT?
Your DSO must receive the final evaluation for the old employer within 10 days after that job ends (8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(9)(i)).
Who tells my DSO that I left my old job?
Both of you. Your old employer must report your departure within five business days, and you must report the loss of employment within 10 days. An email to the DSO with the date can meet either requirement.
Do the days between jobs count as unemployment on STEM OPT?
Yes. Every day between the two jobs counts, weekends included, toward the 150-day total, which includes days used during post-completion OPT.
What if my new job starts within 10 days of leaving the old one?
SEVP says the new Form I-983 can then cover both the loss of employment and the new training plan. The final evaluation for the old job is still due within 10 days after it ends.
Can I add my new employer in the SEVP Portal on STEM OPT?
No. STEM OPT students send the completed Form I-983 to the DSO, and the DSO enters the employer in SEVIS. It appears in the portal the day after.
Is a move to a new office with the same employer a job change?
Not a new employer, but USCIS treats a change in your employment address as a material change reported with a modified Form I-983. The new hiring site must be enrolled in E-Verify before you begin there.
Sources
All checked October 22, 2026 (PT). The date in brackets is the date each page showed.
- 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(4) to (9), (f)(10)(ii)(E), (f)(12)(ii) and (f)(17), eCFR as of Sept 14, 2026: https://www.ecfr.gov/on/2026-09-14/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-214/subpart-A/section-214.2 [checked October 22, 2026. We cite the Sept 14 version because USCIS says it is following the previous provisions after a court postponed the July 17, 2026 rule]
- USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 2, Pt. F, Ch. 5: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-2-part-f-chapter-5 [current as of 10/02/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- USCIS, Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/optional-practical-training-extension-for-stem-students-stem-opt [last reviewed 01/30/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- USCIS, Handbook for Employers M-274, 7.4.2 F-1 and M-1 Nonimmigrant Students: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-resources/handbook-for-employers-m-274/70-evidence-of-employment-authorization-for-certain-categories/74-exchange-visitors-and-students/742-f-1-and-m-1-nonimmigrant-students [last reviewed 04/02/2025; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, Students: STEM OPT Reporting Requirements: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-hub/for-students/students-stem-opt-reporting-requirements [last updated 07/06/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, Students and the Form I-983: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-hub/for-students/students-and-the-form-i-983 [last updated 11/26/2024; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, DSOs: STEM OPT Reporting Requirements: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-hub/for-schools/dsos-stem-opt-reporting-requirements [last updated 05/25/2023; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, Employers: STEM OPT Reporting Requirements: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-hub/for-employers/employers-stem-opt-reporting-requirements [last updated 09/18/2023; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, SEVP Portal Help, Update Employer Information: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevp-portal-help/maintain-information/update-employer-information [last updated 05/25/2023; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, SEVIS Help Hub, F-1 STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) Extension: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevis-help-hub/student-records/fm-student-employment/f-1-stem-optional-practical-training-opt [last updated 07/27/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, SEVIS Help Hub, F-1 Add, Edit, Delete OPT Employer: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevis-help-hub/student-records/fm-student-employment/f-1-add-edit-delete-optional-practical [last updated 04/28/2025; checked October 22, 2026]
- Study in the States, SEVIS Help Hub, Unemployment Counter: https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevis-help-hub/student-records/fm-student-employment/unemployment-counter [last updated 07/27/2026; checked October 22, 2026]
- ICE, Form I-983 Instructions: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/i983Instructions.pdf [undated; checked October 22, 2026]
- ICE, Form I-983: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/i983.pdf [form edition 7/16; checked October 22, 2026]
- SEVP Policy Guidance 1004-03, Update to Optional Practical Training: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/opt_policy_guidance_042010.pdf [April 23, 2010; ICE says it remains in effect except where its 17-month STEM content conflicts with the 2016 rule; checked October 22, 2026]
- E-Verify, How to Find Participating Employers: https://www.e-verify.gov/about-e-verify/e-verify-data/how-to-find-participating-employers [last updated 09/24/2024; checked October 22, 2026]
- E-Verify FAQ, Am I required to participate in E-Verify to hire F-1 students who seek a STEM OPT extension?: https://www.e-verify.gov/faq/am-i-required-to-participate-in-e-verify-in-order-to-hire-f-1-students-who-seek-a-stem-opt [last updated 05/04/2023; checked October 22, 2026]
- USCIS, How to Change Your Address: https://www.uscis.gov/addresschange [checked October 22, 2026]
This article summarizes official U.S. government sources and is not legal or immigration advice. EADly is not a law firm and is not affiliated with USCIS, DHS or ICE.