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Can I volunteer with a Non-Profit while on any temporary visa (for example, F-1 OPT)?
Question details
I am on F1 OPT and working for a company. I have a few questions:
1. Am I eligible to volunteer with a nonprofit organization related to my field if the work involves event organization (webinar or In-person training)?
2. If I volunteer to review research papers or articles in my field, would that be considered permissible, or would it be classified as work?
FAQ Transcript
Yes, you can volunteer while on a temporary visa as long as you are not compensated in cash or kind.
For F-1 OPT, if the volunteer work is meant to count toward your OPT compliance, it must be at least 20 hours per week and related to your field of study. If it’s purely additional volunteer work (e.g., helping at events, reviewing research papers) and not counted for OPT compliance, there’s no issue, but check with your DSO.
However, you cannot volunteer for a for-profit company, as that could violate labor laws, though the violation would be on the company’s part, not yours.
DOL Publishes Final Rule on Attestation Process for Employers Using F-1 Students in Off-Campus Work
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 20, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69538-69539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27685]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
20 CFR Part 655
RIN 1205-AB66
Attestation Process for Employers Using F-1 Students in Off-
Campus Work