没抽到H-1B，可以使用Day 1 CPT吗？
随着移民局在八月中完成第二次H-1B抽签，今年的H-1B申请季差不多要结束了。有抽到H-1B的同学固然欢喜，但对于没有抽中的同学又改怎么办？尤其眼看F-1 OPT即将到期并将开始起算60天的宽恕期(Grace Period)，这时候同学们有什么办法可以继续留在美国为雇主继续工作，同时等待明年的抽签呢？
首先要先提醒大家，F-1 到期的60天宽恕期极为重要。在这60天中，同学们除了可以打包准备离开美国外，如果你打算继续留在美国，一定要在这60天内确认自己的下一步。一般来说，同学们最常选择的方式是回到学校，并用Day 1 CPT继续为美国雇主工作。
但问题来了，Day 1 CPT 到底合不合法？为什么常听到大家说使用Day 1 CPT 有风险呢？如果有风险，又该如何避免呢？要回答这个问题，我们要先了解什么是F-1国际学生的Practical Training 。
依照移民法，F-1学生主要透过四种方式在美国合法工作：
(1) On Campus Employment 在校打工;
(2) Curricular Practical Training (课堂实习);
(3)Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training (期中实习);
(4) Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (毕业后实习)。
后面这三种工作方式都和Practical Training有关，但它到底有什么限制呢？我们来看下移民法怎么规定的。
8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)：Practical training. Practical training may be authorized to an F-1 student who has been lawfully enrolled on a full time basis, in a Service-approved college, university, conservatory, or seminary for one full academic year. This provision also includes students who, during their course of study, were enrolled in a study abroad program, if the student had spent at least one full academic term enrolled in a full course of study in the United States prior to studying abroad. A student may be authorized 12 months of practical training, and becomes eligible for another 12 months of practical training when he or she changes to a higher educational level. Students in English language training programs are ineligible for practical training. An eligible student may request employment authorization for practical training in a position that is directly related to his or her major area of study.
(在美国政府核准的学校里合法全职就读满一整个学年的F-1学生，可以被允许使用Practical Training。学生可以被允许使用12个月的Practical Training，且当他/她换到更高的学位时，有资格要求额外的 12个月的Practical Training。)
不过在Student and Exchange Visitor Program的网站中，负责管理F-1国际学生的The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)办公室针对必须读完一整个学年的要求，设了例外的情形:
“When you enroll at the graduate level, your designated school official (DSO) may authorize CPT during your first semester if your program requires this type of experience. Ask your DSO for details.”
（当你就读研究生课程时，如果是课程的需要，学校的DSO可以在你第一学期的时候，允许你使用CPT。）
也因为这条规定，有些学校特别在课程规划上，设立了可以使用Day 1 CPT的学位。以下是有其中一间设立Day 1 CPT的学校针对CPT情形的介绍：
The Master of Science degree programs permit a student to begin Curricular Practical Training (CPT) in the first semester of study for those students who are deemed eligible to do so, as determined by the SEVIS Primary Designated School Official at the time of enrollment. A student’s CPT internship experience or employment must relate to the student’s program of study and may be part-time (20 or less hours per week) or full-time (21 to 40 hours per week).
CPT is an integral part of the program of study. Referred to as experiential learning, work experience permits the student to take lecture and textbook learning and apply that knowledge in a real-world setting to the workplace.
既然主管国际学生的SEVP办公室都允许Day 1 CPT，那Day 1 CPT的风险到底在哪里呢？
移民局怀疑学生只是挂靠在学校，但却没有真的去上课，因此违反F-1必须维持身份的要求。
F-1学生使用完OPT后，又继续回到同个学位但不同专业，使用Day 1 CPT工作超过一年的时间。
作为F-1学生，最重要的任务是在学期间，必须保持「全职」的学生身份。所谓全职指的是，国际学生每一学期必须修满法定要求的学分数。CPT学生虽然可以在课堂中使用CPT实习，但他们仍然有到学校上课以保持全职学生身份的义务。然而过去几年，移民执法部门却发现许多大学，假上课之名，实际上却让学生 “Pay to Stay”付钱留在美国。例如以下几所学校：
Koreatown – Prodee University/Neo-America Language School;
Walter Jay M.D. Institute, an Educational Center (WJMD); and
American College of Forensic Studies (ACFS)
移民局是这么形容这些学校的:
These schools issued immigration documents to foreign nationals who were not bona fide students, had no intention of attending the schools, and sometimes lived outside of California - including in the states of Washington and New York. As part of the conspiracy, the owner created bogus student records, including transcripts, for some of the students for the purpose of deceiving immigration authorities. In exchange for the immigration documents that allowed them to remain in the United States, the purported "students" made "tuition" payments to the owner and his co-conspirators to "enroll" and remain enrolled at the schools.
报名参加这些学校的学生中有些人可能真的有去上课，但由于学校往往上课不会点名也没有作业，许多学生甚至从来没有到学校上过课。这些学校一旦被移民局认定从事移民诈欺的行为，对入学的国际学生而言，造成的后果往往是被注记在签证系统上，未来将很难有机会再回到美国。而对于这些真的有去上课的学生，在他们未来申请H-1B或是职业绿卡的时候，移民局也会要求他们提供以下资料来证明确实有去上课并维持全职学生的身份：
Certified school transcripts from all schools you attended for each semester attended since becoming an F-1 student. A photocopy or internet printout is not sufficient. For language training, please ensure the transcripts include the number of hours you attended and the levels completed and currently being pursued. If these records indicate an unexcused or extended period of absence, submit a detailed explanation for each period of absence, to include exact beginning and ending dates, as well as any available supporting documentary evidence.
Tuition bills from all schools for each semester attended.
Proof of tuition payment for all schools for each semester attended (for example, front and back of cancelled checks with the bank transaction stamps).
Receipts for purchase of books matching the courses listed on the school transcripts, school parking passes, associated fees, and other school supplies.
A signed original letter from the designated school official (DSO) on school letterhead from every school stating the dates you were enrolled and attended the school.
Copies of degrees and/or certificates issued to you showing course completions.
Any other documentation that shows your attendance of the school.
A copy of your Student Identification Card.
Course syllabi or outlines for your program at all the schools you attend.
Evidence of your U.S. residence (e.g. utility bills, rental contracts or receipts, etc.) while you were in F-1 status.
Evidence showing the number of online or distance education class credits you were enrolled in for each session, term, semester, trimester, or quarter of study, for the duration of the time you were a student at all the U.S. schools you attended.
Evidence to show you were making progress toward completion of a program of study (i.e., a program requirements plan).
Documentary evidence to show that the student was physically attending the courses in which s/he was enrolled (e.g. transportation receipts, confirmed transportation reservations, attendance records, etc.);
Utility bills/rental contracts or other receipts documenting the student's current residence;
Confirmation as to the number of online/distance education class credits the student was/is enrolled in for the duration of his/her studies;
Any other documentary evidence to establish you were engaged in a full course of study and working towards program completion.
假设国际学生就读的CPT学校都是真实的，且学生也都按时上课，这时候碰到的另一个问题是：已经使用过硕士OPT的学生，当他们在念另一个硕士学历但不同专业时，是否可以继续使用CPT工作？或甚至用CPT工作超过一年呢？
回到我们上面提到的8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)，法规是这么说的：
A student may be authorized 12 months of practical training, and becomes eligible for another 12 months of practical training when he or she changes to a higher educational level.
(学生可以被允许使用12个月的Practical Training，且当他/她换到更高的学位时，有资格要求额外的 12个月的Practical Training。)
从字面上解释，法规只是说明除了正常的 12个月Practical Training外，当学生在就读更高的学位的时候，还可以要求额外的Practical Training。但对于如果学生就读同一个学位时，则没有任何的限制。
不过很可惜，从2018年开始，移民局却将这条法规限缩解释成：如果国际学生在相同的学位(same degree level)使用过12个月的OPT，即使之后学习的专业不同，只要是同一个学位，国际学生就不能再继续使用CPT。一旦继续使用CPT，他们将会被认定为没有维持学生身份。
许多移民律师都认为，移民局的解释与现实中Practical Training 可以超过一年的操作并不一致。他们主要的论点有以下几个部分：
首先，移民法规并没有明确把Practical Training的时间限缩成12个月。8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)只是提到在什么情况下，F-1学生可以使用额外12个月的Practical Training。但这并没有限缩他们可以使用Practical Training的时间。例如STEM专业的学生，他们的OPT时间甚至可以被额外延长24个月。又或是使用Cap-Gap工作的学生也可以在OPT到期后继续工作到当年度的9月30日。
此外，在CPT的相关规定中也提到，如果学生使用一年或一年以上的全职CPT，此时就无法要求OPT(Students who have received one year or more of full-time curricular practical training are ineligible for post-completion academic training.)。换言之，移民法规实际上是肯认CPT也可以使用超过一年。只是F-1学生全职CPT工作超过一年的后果是之后不能继续使用OPT而已。这个和F-1学生有没有继续维持身份无关。
最后，主管国际学生事务的是海关与边防事务局(ICE)底下的SEVP办公室，而不是移民局。既然SEVP办公室都允许学校帮学生登记Day 1 CPT，则移民局自然没有权力去干涉。如果移民局不允许在这种情形使用CPT，他们应该自己向ICE沟通修改规定。
因此我们的结论是，使用Day 1 CPT工作其实是合法的。但是如果你正在使用或考虑使用Day 1 CPT，我会提供以下几个建议给大家参考：
在入学前，请先确认你就读的学校是合法且真实的学校。例如，如果学校有持续花钱建设软硬体设备，往往会被认定是个合法且真实的学校。
在使用CPT的时候，记得保留所有上课出席记录以及住行记录。例如老师点名的记录或是老师发的材料，自己的作业，旅馆住宿记录，Uber，机票，吃饭收据等等。
确保自己的工作内容符合CPT的要求，即” training relates directly to the student’s major area of study” and “ training is an integral part of the school’s established curriculum”。一般而言，移民局会要求CPT的学生提供以下文件来证明自己参与有效的CPT实习计划：
The name of the course and course code in which you are or were enrolled that requires CPT;
Documentary evidence that immediate participation in CPT was required for your studies;
Documentary evidence establishing both your current major and that CPT is/was an integral (essential) part of your degree program;
A letter from your CPT employer(s), explaining the your job duties, pay, and period of employment;
Evidence of the cooperative agreement(s) between your CPT employer and the school;
A detailed statement explaining how your obtained CPT employment at current employer; whether individually, through the school, or through an outside company or consultancy;
Evidence that your CPT is or was directly related to their major area of study.
如果你在申请H-1B的时候，移民局认定你使用CPT超过规定的天数，一定要和律师保持联系据理力争。如果最后不幸被认定没有维持学生身份，一般移民局还是会核准H-1B申请，但会要求你到境外申请H-1B签证后再回来工作。
以上分享给大家参考。有任何问题欢迎与我们联系。
