OPT STEM extension and contractor
I am a Mechanical Engineer on my first year of optional practical training. I would like to apply for the STEM extension and have found a company that would like to hire me as a contractor. The staffing agency who I have been in contact with said that since the law changed in April 2018 it is not possible for me to apply for the STEM extension as an on-site contractor. Does anybody have any experience with the new laws and STEM extension as a contractor?
The laws haven't changed. USCIS doesn't govern the stem program, ICE does. What USCIS posted in March 2018 on their website was more of a recommendation than a law. If you have an on-site manager who oversees you at the client location, you should be good. However, I would suggest 2 things: - Tap into your network for other people working in similar situations and talk to them, see if they can get some info for you from attorneys at their companies - start looking out for positions outside of staffing or contracting agencies.