Amending Your I-983 Training Plan After Changing Employers on STEM OPT
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 19, 2026
Changing employers during your STEM OPT extension requires a new Form I-983 filed with your DSO within 10 days of starting the new job, or your extension risks being reported as terminated.
📩 Submit a final self-evaluation on the old employer within 10 days of your last day.
Submit a new I-983 for the new employer within 10 days of your start date.
The new employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify.
Your DSO reviews and signs off before the new plan is valid in SEVIS.
Any gap between jobs still counts toward your 150-day unemployment limit.
What counts as a material change
A material change to your I-983 training plan includes a new employer, a new Employer Identification Number even under the same employer name, a pay cut not tied to fewer hours, a significant drop in weekly hours, or a shift in your training goals, supervisor, or worksite. Any of these requires updated paperwork, not a casual note to your DSO.
Step 1: Close out the training plan with your old employer
Within 10 days of your last day with the previous employer, complete the student self-evaluation section on your existing I-983 and have your former supervisor sign it if possible. Submit this final evaluation to your DSO to formally close that segment of your training.
Step 2: Line up the new employer's details
Confirm the new employer is enrolled in E-Verify before you start. This is a hard eligibility requirement for STEM OPT, not optional paperwork. Work with the new employer to complete a new Form I-983 describing the position, its direct relationship to your STEM field, supervisor details, and specific training goals and objectives.
Step 3: Submit the new I-983 within 10 days
Submit the completed new I-983 to your DSO within 10 days of starting the new position, following the STEM OPT reporting requirements . Your DSO reviews the plan and, once satisfied it meets STEM OPT training requirements, updates your SEVIS record to reflect the new employer.
Step 4: Track the gap between jobs
Time between your last day with the old employer and your first day with the new one counts as unemployment, drawing down your combined 150-day limit. Plan your transition to minimize any gap, and confirm with your DSO how many unemployment days you have used so far.
A worked example
Say you finish your role with Employer A on March 10. You submit your final self-evaluation to your DSO by March 20, within the 10-day window. You start with Employer B on April 1, three weeks later. Those three weeks count as unemployment against your combined 150-day limit. You submit the new I-983 for Employer B by April 11, again within 10 days, and your DSO updates SEVIS once the new plan is approved.
Who is responsible for what
You are responsible for confirming the new employer is enrolled in E-Verify and for submitting the new I-983 to your DSO on time. The new employer is responsible for completing their portion of the I-983, describing the specific training the role provides and confirming their business details. Do not assume your employer's HR department handles the DSO reporting for you. Confirm directly who is submitting what.
Amending versus starting fresh
Not every change requires a brand new I-983 from scratch. A shift in your supervisor or a modest adjustment to your training goals within the same employer relationship sometimes qualifies as an amendment to your existing plan rather than a completely new document. Ask your DSO whether your specific change needs a new I-983 or an amendment to the current one, since the paperwork and timeline differ.
If a new employer will not complete the I-983
Some employers unfamiliar with STEM OPT hesitate to sign a formal training plan. Explain that the I-983 is a federal requirement for hiring a STEM OPT student, not an internal company policy choice. If an employer refuses to participate after you explain this, the position does not work for STEM OPT purposes, and the days you spend there without a filed I-983 do not count as qualifying employment.
Keep copies of every version
Save a dated copy of each I-983 you submit, along with your DSO's confirmation of receipt. If a question about your STEM OPT timeline comes up later, for a green card application or a future visa, your own paper trail is often faster to produce than requesting historical SEVIS records.
Why the 10-day deadline matters
If reporting lapses beyond 10 business days after you leave a job, or your employer fails to report a material change, SEVP flags your STEM OPT authorization for automatic termination in SEVIS. Missing this window is one of the more common ways STEM OPT students lose status without any wrongdoing beyond a missed form.
Ongoing reporting during STEM OPT
Beyond employer changes, STEM OPT students confirm their information with a validation report roughly every six months and complete a self-evaluation at the 12-month mark of the 24-month extension, regardless of whether anything changed. Keep your address and employer information current in the SEVP Portal throughout.