Every first Monday in the month of September, people across the United States celebrate Labor Day. Labor Day commemorates the contributions of workers in the United States.

Some international students may have permission to work. Remember though, the U.S. government takes working illegally very seriously. If you are an M-1 student interested in working in the United States, it is important you understand the rules that apply to your specific circumstance. The rules that apply to you depend on both your status and the type of work you would like to perform.

M-1 students have different employment benefits than F-1 students. Specifically:

• M-1 students are only eligible to participate in one type of employment opportunity while they study in the United States, practical training (PT).
• M-1 students must obtain work authorization from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before participating in PT.
• M-1 students may only participate in PT after their program completion and earn one month of work eligibility for every four months of program enrollment.

Like F-1 students, M-1 students’ PT must be related to their fields of study.

If you are an M-1 student and want to learn more about your employment eligibility benefits, speak with your designated school official (DSO). If you do decide to participate in PT after you complete your program, you will need to work with your DSO to receive authorization from USCIS. You may need to apply to USCIS for an extension of status at the same time you apply for employment authorization, since M-1 students are admitted to the United States only until a certain date.

Starting a conversation with your DSO about your employment benefits well in advance of your program completion date will help to make sure you understand the opportunities available to you and the process for obtaining the proper approvals.

Help your fellow M-1 students understand their employment benefits by sharing this post with them on social media using the hashtag #StudyintheStates.