Expand your hiring horizons
If your talent acquisition plan doesn’t include non-U.S. nationals, you’re missing out. In addition to cultural and language competencies, they often bring work experience in a range of functions, from software development to banking.
Our international students go through Iowa's rigorous master's programs where they manage real portfolios, work with massive data sets, and often complete internships in the U.S.
Below are some of the basics of international graduate student hiring. We’re always available to consult when you are ready to make the leap.
Hiring graduate student interns
Iowa's specialized master's students are typically on an F-1 student visa, which allows them to take on summer employment with hardly any paperwork on the employer’s part. The internship is through a program called Curricular Practical Training (CPT). With CPT, the University of Iowa issues the work authorization. You’ll need to provide a job offer as the CPT is issued for a specific employer.
Hiring for full-time positions
Iowa's international specialized master's graduates are able to work in the U.S. longer because two of our specialized master's programs are STEM-designated. These graduates work under Optional Practical Training (OPT) for 36 months before they will require employer sponsorship. There is no cost to the employer during the OPT period.
At the end of the OPT period, the employee will need you (the employer) to sponsor a visa in order to continue to work in the United States. The most common type of work visa in these situations is an H-1B visa. The H-1B visa filing costs vary by company size and also depend on how much is spent on attorney’s fees. You should expect to spend around $5,000.
H1-B visa program in a nutshell
Employers, not job candidates, are responsible for filing for an H1-B visa. You can do that before graduation, before the OPT period begins, or after it begins.
The most important things to remember about the H1-B program are the annual cap and the application timeline. Since the U.S. government allows a finite number of H1-B visas every year, in recent years they have been reaching that quota on the day the application opens on April 1.
Therefore, we strongly encourage you to apply on April 1, ideally the same year the candidate is graduating. You can also file while their OPT is still within the valid window (36 months for STEM-designated programs).
Learn more
Let us know if you'd like more information about recruitment options at the Tippie College of Business.
Amy Bartachek
Managing Director, Graduate Career Services
amy-bartachek@uiowa.edu
319-467-1192