AL-59 · Immigration & Visa

STEM OPT Financial
Runway Planner

F-1 international students face a 36-month window (12-month OPT + 24-month STEM extension) to secure H-1B sponsorship before work authorization lapses. Model your financial runway across three scenarios — win H-1B in year 1, year 2, or miss entirely — including savings trajectory, probability-weighted outcome, and EB-2 NIW alternative path.

📊 USCIS H-1B cap-subject selection rate 2024 (18.5% annual) · OPT/STEM OPT regulations 8 CFR §214.2(f) · EB-2 NIW eligibility rules as of 2025. All embedded.
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Your OPT Situation Inputs
STEM OPT extension requires STEM-designated degree at bachelor's level or higher.
Non-STEM: only 12-month OPT available. See ICE SEVIS list for eligible CIPs.
India/China nationals face decade-long EB-2/EB-3 backlogs. Other countries: often current or 1–3 yr wait.
Cap-exempt employers can file H-1B anytime with 100% approval rate (no lottery).
Financial Profile
Rent, food, transport, health, misc. Post-tax savings = salary × (1-tax) − expenses.
Federal + state effective rate. F-1 students may be nonresident alien — often lower rate.
Used to compute remaining authorized work time.
H-1B & Alternative Path Options
FY2025 cap-subject rate ~18.5%. Advanced degree exempt (master's cap): slightly higher. Adjust if you have unique profile factors.
NIW allows self-petition without employer sponsorship. PhD/research background with published work strongest. Processing: 12–24 months for non-backlogged countries.
How long you'd need to find a new role or return home and re-enter. Used for worst-case runway.
Key Metrics
Scenario Analysis — 3 Paths
Work Authorization Timeline
Runway & Contingency Planning