The most important employment issue that you need to keep in mind is the issue of legal (or "authorized") versus illegal (or "unauthorized") employment. You must always make sure that any employment you plan to engage in is legal employment. Any unauthorized (i.e. illegal) employment, even for one day or if you did not know it was illegal, poses a threat to your status. You must always be certain that you have the necessary employment authorization before you begin employment. Starting work without prior authorization, even if you receive authorization later, constitutes illegal employment.

Please come and talk with the International Student Advisor to be sure that you do not engage in illegal employment.

Categories of F-1 Student Employment

1. On-Campus Employment
Work on FHSU's campus is usually permissible if it meets certain requirements. Immigration authorization is not necessary. You must work on-campus no more than 20 hours per week when school is in session. You may work full-time (40 hours per week) during holiday and vacation periods. The definition of on-campus employment by INS is:

Type 1: Employment at FHSU: Any on-campus work for which you receive a paycheck
(or other compensation, such as room and board, etc.) from FHSU

Type 2: On-campus work affiliated with an on-site commercial firm on FHSU's
premises. This includes work on FHSU's campus for a commercial firm if this
work provides direct services to students.

Type 3: Certain off-campus employment where there is an official educational
relationship between FHSU and the off-campus employer. Immigration regulations
allow work at an off-campus location provided:

(1) the location is educationally affiliated with FHSU
(2) the educational affiliation is associated with your school's established
curriculum or is related to a graduate level research project which
your school has contracted to perform
(3) the work is an integral or important part of your program of study

2. Off-Campus Employment Authorization
Severe Economic Hardship, according to US Immigration regulations, "If other employment opportunities are not available or are otherwise insufficient, an eligible F-1 student may request off-campus employment work authorization based upon severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond the student's control."

Eligibility - To be eligible to apply for off-campus employment authorization, based upon severe economic hardship, F-1 students have to meet the following conditions:

1. F-1 students must demonstrate severe economic hardship resulting from one of the following unforeseen circumstances:

~loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without fault on the part of the student
~substantial fluctuations in the value of currency or exchange rate
~inordinate increases in tuition and/or living costs
~unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student's source of support, medical bills, or other substantial and unexpected expenses

2. F-1 students must have been in F-1 status for one full academic year (9 months).

3. Students must be in good academic standing, registered full-time, and the
employment must not interfere with their studies.

4. Employment opportunities on campus are either unavailable or insufficient to meet their needs.