Skip to main content

Nixon Peabody LLP

  • People
  • Capabilities
  • Insights
  • About
Trending Topics
    • People
    • Capabilities
    • Insights
    • About
    • Locations
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Alumni
    Practices

    View All

    • Affordable Housing
    • Community Development Finance
    • Corporate & Finance
    • Cybersecurity & Privacy
    • Entertainment & Media
    • Environmental
    • Franchising & Distribution
    • Government Investigations & White Collar Defense
    • Healthcare
    • Intellectual Property
    • International Services
    • Labor, Employment, and Benefits
    • Litigation
    • Private Wealth & Advisory
    • Project Finance
    • Public Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Regulatory & Government Relations
    Industries

    View All

    • Aviation
    • Cannabis
    • Consumer
    • Energy
    • Financial Services
    • Healthcare
    • Higher Education
    • Infrastructure
    • Manufacturing
    • Nonprofit Organizations
    • Real Estate
    • Sports & Stadiums
    • Technology
    Value-Added Services

    View All

    • Alternative Fee Arrangements

      Developing innovative pricing structures and alternative fee agreement models that deliver additional value for our clients.

    • Continuing Education

      Advancing professional knowledge and offering credits for attorneys, staff and other professionals.

    • Crisis Advisory

      Helping clients respond correctly when a crisis occurs.

    • DEI Strategic Services

      Providing our clients with legal, strategic, and practical advice to make transformational changes in their organizations.

    • eDiscovery

      Leveraging law and technology to deliver sound solutions.

    • Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)

      We help clients create positive return on investments in people, products, and the planet.

    • Global Services

      Delivering seamless service through partnerships across the globe.

    • Innovation

      Leveraging leading-edge technology to guide change and create seamless, collaborative experiences for clients and attorneys.

    • IPED

      Industry-leading conferences focused on affordable housing, tax credits, and more.

    • Legal Project Management

      Providing actionable information to support strategic decision-making.

    • Legally Green

      Teaming with clients to advance sustainable projects, mitigate the effects of climate change, and protect our planet.

    • Nixon Peabody Trust Company

      Offering a range of investment management and fiduciary services.

    • NP Capital Connector

      Bringing together companies and investors for tomorrow’s new deals.

    • NP Second Opinion

      Offering fresh insights on cases that are delayed, over budget, or off-target from the desired resolution.

    • NP Trial

      Courtroom-ready lawyers who can resolve disputes early on clients’ terms or prevail at trial before a judge or jury.

    • Social Impact

      Creating positive impact in our communities through increasing equity, access, and opportunity.

    • Women in Dealmaking

      We provide strategic counsel on complex corporate transactions and unite dynamic women in the dealmaking arena.

    1. Home
    2. Insights
    3. Articles
    4. STEM OPT site visits What to expect and how to prepare

      Articles

    Article

    STEM OPT site visits What to expect and how to prepare

    Oct 22, 2019

    LinkedInX (Twitter)EmailCopy URL

    By Courtney New

    DHS is now conducting site visits to employer locations where STEM OPT students are employed. Are you ready?

    DHS is now conducting site visits to employer locations where STEM OPT students are employed.

    What is the STEM OPT Program?

    International students studying in the U.S. are eligible to participate in Optional Practical Training ("OPT") in their fields of study at the conclusion of their degree programs. While typically OPT is limited to one year, students who have completed a degree in an eligible STEM field can be authorized for an additional two years of OPT, often referred to as STEM OPT or the STEM Extension. To qualify for STEM OPT a student must be employed by an employer participating in the E-Verify program and must submit an I-983 Training Plan signed by the student and the employer to their college or university that outlines the employment-based learning opportunity offered to the student.

    Why is DHS conducting site visits?

    DHS conducts site visits in an effort to reduce fraud in several non-immigrant visa programs and the STEM OPT is the most recent addition. DHS has stated that the purpose of these visits it to "ensure that STEM OPT students receive structured and guided work-based learning experiences and reduce the potential for abuses of the STEM OPT extension." DHS officers will visit employers of STEM OPT students to confirm that information reported on students' Forms I-983 concerning their training opportunities is accurate and that both the student and the employer are meeting their obligations.

    Will employers have any notice of a STEM OPT site visit?

    Yes. Unlike other types of site visits, DHS will provide employers with at least 48 hours' notice.

    What can employers expect during a STEM OPT site visit?

    For starters, not all site visits will be conducted in person. Officers may first or instead contact employers by phone or email to request information concerning compliance. In general, officers will seek to confirm the details provided in the student's Form I-983 Training Plan regarding the nature of the student's experiential learning opportunities and the supervision and evaluation that the employer stated would be provided.

    How can employers of STEM OPT students prepare for a site visit?

    The best way for employers of STEM OPT students to prepare for a potential site visit is to review the Form I-983 Training Plans for all STEM OPT students. The Form I-983 should accurately describe the opportunity being offered to the student and the employer should confirm with the student's supervisor that the student is being appropriately supervised and evaluated.

    Employers should consult immigration counsel regarding any concerns with respect to STEM OPT compliance.

    Practices

    Immigration
    The foregoing has been prepared for the general information of clients and friends of the firm. It is not meant to provide legal advice with respect to any specific matter and should not be acted upon without professional counsel. If you have any questions or require any further information regarding these or other related matters, please contact your regular Nixon Peabody LLP representative. This material may be considered advertising under certain rules of professional conduct.

    Subscribe to stay informed of the latest legal news, alerts, and business trends.Subscribe

    • People
    • Capabilities
    • Insights
    • About
    • Locations
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Alumni
    • Cookie Preferences
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Statement of Client Rights
    • Purchase Order Terms & Conditions
    • Nixon Peabody International LLC
    • PAL
    © 2025 Nixon Peabody. All rights reserved