隨著移民局在八月中完成第二次H-1B抽籤，今年的H-1B申請季差不多要結束了。有抽到H-1B的同學固然歡喜，但對於沒有抽中的同學又改怎麼辦？尤其眼看F-1 OPT即將到期並將開始起算60天的寬恕期(Grace Period)，這時候同學們有什麼辦法可以繼續留在美國為僱主繼續工作，同時等待明年的抽籤呢？

首先要先提醒大家，F-1 到期的60天寬恕期極為重要。在這60天中，同學們除了可以打包準備離開美國外，如果你打算繼續留在美國，一定要在這60天內確認自己的下一步。一般來說，同學們最常選擇的方式是回到學校，並用Day 1 CPT繼續為美國僱主工作。

但問題來了，Day 1 CPT 到底合不合法？為什麼常聽到大家說使用Day 1 CPT 有風險呢？如果有風險，又該如何避免呢？要回答這個問題，我們要先了解什麼是F-1國際學生的Practical Training 。

依照移民法，F-1學生主要透過四種方式在美國合法工作：

(1) On Campus Employment 在校打工;

(2) Curricular Practical Training (課堂實習);

(3)Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training (期中實習);

(4) Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (畢業後實習)。

後面這三種工作方式都和Practical Training有關，但它到底有什麼限制呢？我們來看下移民法怎麼規定的。

8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)：Practical training. Practical training may be authorized to an F-1 student who has been lawfully enrolledon 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.

(在美國政府核准的學校裡合法全職就讀滿一整個學年的F-1學生，可以被允許使用Practical Training。學生可以被允許使用12個月的Practical Training，且當他/她換到更高的學位時，有資格要求額外的 12個月的Practical Training。)

不過在Student and Exchange Visitor Program的網站中，負責管理F-1國際學生的The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)辦公室針對必須讀完一整個學年的要求，設了例外的情形:

“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.”

（當你就讀研究生課程時，如果是課程的需要，學校的DSO可以在你第一學期的時候，允許你使用CPT。）