留学生OPT失业天数有上限：普通OPT累计90天，STEM延期合计150天
在美国持F-1签证的留学生毕业后参加选择性实习训练（OPT）时，失业天数有明确上限。美国国土安全部的「留学美国」（Study in the States）项目说明，普通毕业后OPT期间累计失业不得超过90天；获得24个月STEM OPT延期的，整个OPT期间累计失业上限为150天，其中包括普通OPT期间已经用掉的天数，并不是在90天之外另给150天。
天数怎么算，由学生与交流访问者信息系统（SEVIS）自动计数。SEVIS从学生的实际OPT开始日期往回算，每一天只要记录里没有雇主信息，就计为一天失业。计数器显示三个数字：允许天数、已累计天数与剩余天数。普通OPT的允许天数是90天，普通OPT加STEM OPT合计为150天。
这也意味着，找到工作但没有及时把雇主信息报进记录，在系统里仍按失业计算。联邦法规8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(E)就是这项上限的依据，美国公民及移民服务局（USCIS）的STEM OPT页面同样列明：只拿普通OPT的最多失业90天，拿到24个月延期的多60天、合计150天。
留学生可以请学校的指定校方官员（DSO）核对自己记录里的失业计数，也可以在SEVP门户查看自己的记录。接近上限时尤其要尽早与DSO确认已用天数，避免在不知情的情况下超限影响身份。
（来源：美国国土安全部）
F-1 OPT Unemployment Limits: 90 Days on Post-Completion OPT, 150 Days in Total With STEM OPT
F-1 students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) face firm limits on how long they can be unemployed. According to Study in the States, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's student portal, students on post-completion OPT may accrue no more than 90 days of unemployment in total. Students who receive the 24-month STEM OPT extension get a total limit of 150 days across the whole OPT period, and that total includes any days already used on post-completion OPT; it is not a fresh 150 days on top of the 90.
The counting is done by the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). SEVIS looks back to the student's actual OPT start date and counts each day without employer information in the record as a day of unemployment. The unemployment counter shows three figures: days allowed, days accrued and days remaining. The allowance is 90 days for post-completion OPT only, and 150 days for post-completion OPT plus STEM OPT.
That means a job that has not been reported still looks like unemployment in the system. The limit comes from the federal regulation at 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(E), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services states the same figures on its STEM OPT page: up to 90 days with initial OPT only, and an additional 60 days for a total of 150 with the 24-month extension.
Students can ask their designated school official (DSO) to check the counter in their record, and can view their own record through the SEVP Portal. Anyone approaching the limit should confirm the accrued days with the DSO early, so the count does not run past the cap unnoticed.
(Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
来源：美国国土安全部
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：图片来源：Wikimedia Commons「Women Students Celebrating Graduation - University of Alabama」（Adam Jones 摄，CC BY-SA 2.0），图中为阿拉巴马大学庆祝毕业的学生 Image: Wikimedia Commons, "Women Students Celebrating Graduation - University of Alabama" (by Adam Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0), showing students celebrating graduation at the University of Alabama
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