October 1 is coming soon, and many new H-1B lottery selectees have already received their H-1B approvals.

Many people ask:

“What do I need to do after my H-1B starts? What should I pay attention to?”

1️⃣ After H-1B Becomes Effective: Pay Attention to Salary and Work Location

After your H-1B becomes effective, you must be paid according to the wage information submitted to USCIS.

For example:

• Whether your position is full-time or part-time;

• Your hourly wage or salary amount;

• How many hours you work per week.

Your work location must match the address listed in your H-1B petition.

For example, if your H-1B was approved for an office location, you cannot simply work remotely from home.

For remote workers, if you move outside the same MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) and your work location changes, you may need to file an H-1B amendment to update the employment location.

These details are listed in the I-129 petition and LCA (Labor Condition Application) submitted with your H-1B case.

If your pay records are incorrect, you may not be able to properly maintain your H-1B status.

Later, when you change employers, extend your H-1B, or change status, you may need to provide 3–6 months of pay stubs to prove that your previous H-1B employment was valid.

Failure to provide sufficient proof could affect future immigration benefits.

2️⃣ What Happens to Your F-1 Status After H-1B Takes Effect?

Many new H-1B lottery winners do not realize:

In the U.S., you generally can only maintain one nonimmigrant status at a time.

Once your H-1B becomes effective through a change of status inside the U.S., your F-1 status will automatically end, and it is generally difficult to restore that same F-1 status.

For example:

If your H-1B becomes effective while you still have one and a half years of STEM OPT remaining, that unused STEM OPT period will no longer be available.

In the past, some people chose consular processing for H-1B activation because they did not want to waste their remaining OPT time.

However, with recent H-1B policy uncertainty, many people choose to activate H-1B through a change of status in the U.S. rather than take additional risks.

Of course, if you later want to continue studying, you can still apply for F-1 status again. However, it would not be the same F-1 status you previously held.

3️⃣ Do You Need to Notify Your School About Your Status Change?

Your school's DSO (Designated School Official) and USCIS systems are connected.

Once your H-1B is approved, your school's DSO can see the update, and the SEVIS system will terminate your F-1 record.

This is a normal process.

Therefore, in most cases, you do not need to proactively notify your school.

4️⃣ Unlike OPT, H-1B Does Not Come With an Employment Authorization Card

Unlike OPT, H-1B status does not come with an EAD card.

The documents proving your H-1B status are usually the H-1B I-797A approval notice.

If your H-1B was activated through consular processing, you may receive an I-797B approval notice instead.

You can use the approval notice for purposes such as:

• Visa interviews;

• Driver’s license renewal;

• Other situations requiring proof of immigration status.

  
  

5️⃣ H-1B Work Restrictions: You Cannot Work Freely Like OPT

H-1B is an employment-specific status.

Once you receive H-1B approval through a specific employer, you can generally only work for that H-1B sponsoring employer.

Unlike OPT, you cannot simply work for multiple employers whenever you want.

If you want to work for multiple employers, you generally need to file an H-1B concurrent employment petition.

If your company:

• Moves locations;

• Changes your worksite;

• Changes your job title or duties;

you may need to file an H-1B amendment.

If you have questions, it is recommended to consult an immigration attorney to avoid mistakes that could affect your status.

For those whose H-1B has not been approved yet, there is no need to panic.

USCIS handles a very large number of cases.

If you did not use premium processing and your H-1B is still pending, this can be completely normal.

Otherwise, why would the cap-gap I-20 extension be issued through April 1, 2027?

October 1 is simply the earliest possible H-1B start date — it does not mean every H-1B case must be approved before October 1.

Do not misunderstand this timeline.

If you are considering changing jobs quickly but are still deciding whether to use premium processing, it may be time to consider your options.

有需要也可以下方找到我们~

电子邮件： info@newlandlawfirm.com

电话： (212)257-1932

微信号：zengqilaw