Other Employment Visas

Please keep in mind the following when considering hiring candidates on a visa or requiring visa sponsorship:

  • They have limited dates to be in the U.S. and may need those dates extended by either applying to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USICS) themselves or having an Ohio State unit sponsor their extended status. The visa-holder will usually have official documentation that explicitly shows their validity dates to work and remain in the U.S.
  • They often have limited sites where they may work at any one host institution and usually can only work at one host institution at a time, with few exceptions.
  • They have limited objectives, fields, and units in which they may work within the specific visa status at Ohio State.
  • They may currently be working in the U.S. in one visa status but may need Ohio State-unit sponsorship to work in that same status or to change to another visa status – the process to complete the change of status may take somewhere between a month to a year or more. To change status, they may have to exit and re-enter the U.S., adding weeks or months to the timeline before they may be hired.

Costs, purposes and processing timelines vary by visa and are subject to change.

J-2 Dependent Visa

A J-2 dependent of a principal J-1 visa holder who applies directly to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card and has it in-hand may work according to the validity dates on the card without further visa processing. The timeline typically varies between 3 to 8 months.

H-4 Dependent Visa

An H-4 dependent of a principal H-1B visa holder with an approved I-140 form (through a permanent residency/green card process) may apply directly for an EAD card and must have it in-hand to work.

TN Visa

A TN visa is possible for citizens from Canada or Mexico to work in many, but not all, positions at Ohio State; notably, this visa is not for physicians conducting patient care. TN visa applicants may need only a TN-specific offer letter from Talent Immigration, the Office of International Affairs (OIA) or the Office of Legal Affairs to apply for a visa at a U.S. consulate or at Customs and Border Protection. To sponsor an employee or candidate for TN status through Talent Immigration, the unit should submit an O-1, E-3 , or TN Visa Request  through HR Connection.

F-1 Visa

The F-1 student visa is the most common visa at Ohio State. The Office of International Affairs website has information about on-campus employment of F-1 students and off-campus employment of F-1 students eligible for Curricular Practical Training.

F-1 students  eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) should consult with the Office of International Affairs at Ohio State or the international office at the institution that produced their I-20 immigration document.

OPT is initially granted for 12 months and applications are completed by the F-1 visa holder without any employer processing and are relatively quick and inexpensive. F-1 students working on initial 12-month OPT can work multiple jobs if all work is related to the academic major and combined hours are 20 or more per week, paid or unpaid. There is no maximum number of hours. Working for no pay may also be possible on initial 12-month OPT if related to the academic major and is at least 20 hours per week. Unemployment cannot exceed 90 days for 12-month OPT or 150 days over 3 years for STEM extension OPT.

Once the F-1 student has the OPT Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card in hand, they are eligible to work and be hired immediately according to the dates on the card without additional visa processing.

When the 12-month OPT is within 90 days of expiration, qualifying applicants may apply for an additional 24 months as a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-eligible student.

Talent Immigration can provide some of the information for completing the form I-765 or I-983 to file for the STEM extension but cannot complete the form or sign it since it pertains to work the employee will do. It should be signed by the supervisor/PI on page 3 and the HR Consultant serving the unit on page 2.

If the employee has applied for a 24-month STEM Extension OPT EAD before their 12-month OPT EAD expires, they may be eligible for continuous employment and an I-9 reverification based on just the application receipt from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. An F-1 student working on a STEM OPT Extension must be paid for their employment and may have multiple employers, but each job must be at least 20 hours per week, paid, and each employer must complete an I-983 form.

More information on OPT is available on the Office of International Affairs’ website.

O-1 Status

O-1 status may be possible for individuals who have reached “sustained national or international acclaim” for extraordinary achievements in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics. Extraordinary ability is defined as a high level of expertise and indicates that the person is one of a small percentage who has risen to the very top of their field. The Office of Legal Affairs can submit an application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) 12 months in advance of the requested period. There is not a maximum number of allowable years in O-1 status. The status is available or extendable in 1- to 3-year increments, which are processed through Legal Affairs with about a 4- to 5-month lead time. Dependents of principal O-1 visa holders (O-3s) cannot apply for work authorization.

In order for a unit to sponsor an employee or candidate for O-1 visa status, units should submit an O-1, E-3 , or TN Visa Request through HR Connection.