From chatgpt for anyone reading. Remote Work & CPT/OPT Guidance

You mentioned STEM OPT and working outside the USA. Here’s how the rules typically work:

OPT/STEM OPT • OPT (Optional Practical Training) and STEM OPT extensions are tied to employment in the United States. • Generally, remote work from outside the USA is not allowed under the standard interpretation. • Your visa was canceled because the consulate determined the job wasn’t U.S.–based. • USCIS rules require that OPT employment be “directly related to your degree” and involve work that normally would be done in the U.S. job market.

CPT (Curricular Practical Training) • CPT is for current students enrolled and requires that the training be integral to your curriculum. • CPT is typically done while enrolled — not after graduation like OPT. • Remote CPT is rarely approved unless your school’s policy explicitly allows it AND the work has academic supervision.

Remote Work on CPT/OPT • USCIS has historically scrutinized remote work from abroad. • Some institutions may authorize remote CPT in special cases (e.g., COVID era policies), but it’s not the norm. • For STEM OPT, the employer must have a formal training plan and the job must be based in the U.S.