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In general, not being a U.S. citizen or permanent resident adds a level of difficulty to a job search, but there are employers who are willing to hire foreign nationals. It will depend on the industry and the employer. Practical Training work authorization offers students who have studied in the U.S. on F-1 visas the opportunity to work for up to twelve months in a field related to their studies; J-1 students may apply for Academic Training.
If you hope to remain in the U.S. for longer than the period of your Training, it is especially important to plan ahead with ISSS. Understand the bases on which you may stay long term and be prepared to explain them to an employer. For reasons beyond your control, an employer must sponsor you for an H-1 visa in order to hire you after your Training period expires, and thus you will impose more paperwork and slightly more expense on an employer than will a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Career Services can help you in your job search both in America or overseas. We work closely with International Student & Scholar Services and Penn Global in serving our international students.
We know that there are a lot of questions facing international students when it comes to the job search. From disclosing visa status to subtle cultural differences in the US job search, it can feel overwhelming. Career Services has compiled some of the most frequently asked questions we get to help you start your job search.
Work closely with Penn Global’s International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Staff at ISSS are the campus experts on work permission and immigration regulations. Don’t assume that because you spoke with an advisor in ISSS a year ago, you know what you need to know now. Regulations change constantly, and ISSS can acquaint you with current requirements and help you avoid being offered a job but having no legal basis upon which to accept it.
Networking can help you learn about different types of jobs/industries, find mentors to ask advice of, and can even sometimes make you aware of job leads. Even with all of its benefits, networking can feel intimidating at first! Consider reaching out to alumni from your home country on MyPenn, LinkedIn, or through international Penn alumni clubs. Once you’ve found people you want to network with, check out our guide to help you conduct effective informational interviews.
On this page, we’ve compiled many resources to help you prepare for a career in the life or physical sciences. Of particular interest should be our industry specific job boards, as well as various scientific professional organizations.
Ian Mijael Zhang, COL ’25, Buenos Aires City, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Has the Argentine public sector’s size gone out of control in the last two decades? Is Argentina heading to a labor market dominated by public employment? It sure seems …
Walking into a four-bed emergency department for the first time, I was greeted with an ambulance call. The paramedic excitedly reported two people were ejected from a vehicle and in critical condition – ETA 10 minutes. As I turned to greet …
Michael Wang, COL ’24, Powell, OH
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work at the Ruella Lab at the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, which focuses on the study of mechanisms of relapse after chimeric antigen receptor T cell …
Alexandru Lopotenco, COL ’24, Chisinau, Moldova
This summer I had the chance to gain one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had by working alongside a member of the parliament in my country. Together with him and other state officials, …
For those international students who are planning on working in the US after graduation, here are some strategies and resources to help navigate finding employers who can sponsor you once your student visa expires.
Student Visas & OPT
Students in …