For F-1 students on OPT
90 days on OPT,
150 with the STEM extension.
That is the total time you can be unemployed while on F-1 OPT, and the clock runs from your OPT start date whether or not you have a job lined up. Here is how it is counted, from the Department of Homeland Security's own guidance.
The limits
Two numbers,
one running total.
| OPT period | Unemployment allowed | Minimum work |
|---|---|---|
| Post-completion OPT | 90 days in total | 20 hours a week or full time |
| 24-month STEM OPT extension | 60 more, 150 days in total | 20 hours a week per employer, at an E-Verify employer |
The 150 is not a fresh allowance. It "includes any days accrued while on post-completion OPT," in the words of the SEVIS unemployment counter guidance (opens in a new tab). Spend 70 days looking for your first job and you have 80 left for the rest of the extension.
A day counts as unemployed when your SEVIS record has no employer information for it, so a job you have started but not reported still counts against you. Report employment to your DSO as soon as it begins.
Sources: F-1 Optional Practical Training (opens in a new tab) and STEM OPT Extension Overview (opens in a new tab), Study in the States (DHS).
Using the days well
The days go fastest
on jobs that cannot keep you.
- Check E-Verify before you apply. If you will need the STEM extension, a job at an employer that is not enrolled cannot carry you into it. Talenry shows E-Verify status on every listing.
- Check sponsorship history, separately. Whether an employer has H-1B petitions on record is a different question from E-Verify, and Talenry filters on each.
- Send fewer, better applications, faster. Talenry tailors your resume and cover letter for each role and submits on the major applicant tracking systems, stopping whenever it would have to guess.
- Be ready when they reply. Voice mock interviews tuned to the role, scored with concrete rewrites.
OPT unemployment,
the short answers.
How many days can you be unemployed on OPT?
A total of 90 days during post-completion OPT. If you get the 24-month STEM OPT extension, you get 60 more, for a maximum of 150 days across post-completion OPT and the extension together.
Do OPT unemployment days reset with the STEM extension?
No. The 150-day STEM OPT limit includes any days you accrued while on post-completion OPT. If you used 70 days before the extension, you have 80 left during it.
What counts as a day of unemployment?
SEVIS counts each day without employer information on your record. Post-completion OPT employment must be at least 20 hours a week, and STEM OPT a minimum of 20 hours a week per employer.
Are unemployment days counted consecutively or in total?
In total. The limits are a total for the whole OPT period, not a single stretch: two gaps of 45 days use up all 90 days of post-completion OPT.
Does my employer need to be enrolled in E-Verify?
For the STEM OPT extension, yes: you must pursue it through an employer enrolled in E-Verify. Standard post-completion OPT has no such requirement, but a job at an employer that is not enrolled cannot carry you into the extension.
How can I find a job before my days run out?
Spend applications only on roles that can actually keep you here. Talenry shows every listing's E-Verify status and whether the employer has H-1B petitions on record, free, then tailors and submits applications so a search takes fewer days.
This page summarizes public DHS guidance as of October 2026. It is not immigration advice: your Designated School Official (DSO) has the final word on your OPT and STEM OPT status.