OPT unemployment tracking: keep a clear employment record

Begin with the dates on your EAD and a list of employment periods. For each role, record the actual start and end dates and keep the evidence that supports them. Distinguish an offer date from the first day of work.

A counter can organize the information you entered, but it cannot determine whether a role qualifies for OPT. Employment arrangements, hours and the connection to your degree may need review with your DSO. Do not enter a job solely to make a displayed gap disappear.

• EAD validity dates
• Actual employment start and end dates
• Employer and role records retained privately
• Changes reported through the appropriate school or agency process

Place the employment periods on one timeline before checking gaps. Overlapping roles should be visible as overlapping records; they do not create extra calendar days. Review incomplete end dates and changes that you have not yet confirmed.

When an app's display and your own records differ, resolve the underlying dates first. Keep a short explanation for each correction so you can understand the record later. Do not treat a green indicator as a decision about your immigration status.

DHS maintains unemployment guidance and describes how its SEVIS counter uses reported employment information. Post-completion OPT and STEM OPT have different requirements. Verify the rule that applies to your stage and circumstances instead of copying a number from a forum post.

If a gap is unclear, a report is missing or you may be approaching an applicable limit, contact your DSO promptly. Questions about a possible status violation call for qualified immigration advice.

After a job change, update your records, complete the required reporting outside OPT Buddy, and save the confirmation privately. Then review the employment ledger in the Free workspace against those records.

The Free plan includes employment and unemployment planning. Urgent help and notice triage are Pro features. Neither a subscription nor a tracker replaces your reporting obligations or professional advice.

Use these primary sources and your school's instructions before acting. The editorial update above is not a certification of current legal status or a promise of ongoing monitoring.

• DHS: Unemployment counter
• USCIS: Optional Practical Training for F-1 students
• DHS: SEVP Portal student user guide

Preview a fictional timeline, then create your own Free workspace. Your plan helps organize records and questions; it does not submit forms or replace professional advice.