Guides

Straight answers, with the sources attached

Every guide links the regulation it relies on, states the risks plainly, and omits any figure we could not defend. Start with your situation.

Start with your situation

My OPT or STEM OPT is expiring

Especially after an unsuccessful H-1B lottery. Know your 60-day window before it starts.

I need to transfer schools urgently

Dismissal, SEVIS termination or an enrollment emergency. Act while your record is still Active.

I was laid off on H-1B, L-1 or OPT

The grace period starts the day after your last day of work - not the end of severance.

I'm changing careers and need work authorization

New credentials plus lawful employment, without a program that reads as credential-shopping.

All guides

Pillar guideIntegral CPTIntegral CPT - commonly known as Day 1 CPT - explained: the regulation behind it, how to choose a legitimate program, the SEVIS transfer trap, and the risks that follow you into H-1B and green card filings.
UrgentEmergency transferWhat to do when your I-20 is about to be - or has already been - terminated: the Active vs Terminated distinction, the rapid transfer sequence, and the academic progression rule that protects your future filings.
Status guideOPT and STEM OPTHow OPT and the STEM extension work, the 90-60-30 filing windows, the unemployment clock, and the contingency routes - including Day 1 CPT - when OPT runs out.
Status guideH-1BH-1B fundamentals, the specialty occupation test, common RFE categories, what happens after a layoff, and the alternatives - including Day 1 CPT - when the lottery does not go your way.
Employer researchCPT employersWhich employers will onboard a full-time hire on CPT and sign the school's CPT agreement - and why the widely circulated 'top CPT employers' lists don't answer that question.
ComparisonInstitutions and programsThe schema we hold every Integral CPT institution to - accreditation, CPT policy, on-site cadence, real total cost - so that schools can be compared on the same terms rather than on marketing.

General information, not legal advice. Verify every date, fee and eligibility rule against USCIS, ICE/SEVP or DOL primary sources and with your DSO before acting.