Economic Hardship

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Economic Hardship

                                                                                                                              Office of International
                                                                                                                              Services
 F-1 Off-Campus Employment Based On Economic Hardship
                                                                                                                              102 Des Peres Hall
                                                                                                                              St. Louis, Missouri 63108
 What is employment based on economic hardship? International students in F-1 status that are
 experiencing unforeseen hardship that has dramatically changed your financial situation. While you are                       Phone: 1-314-977-2318
 able to work off-campus, there are restrictions on the number of hours that you can work while classes are                   Fax: 1-314-977-3412
                                                                                                                              international.slu.edu
 in session. Applications are reviewed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
 The Office of International Services does not approve the applications. Here are some examples of
 circumstances that may be considered as unexpected:
                     1. Loss of financial aid or on-campus employment (beyond your control)
                     2. Large increases in tuition or living costs
                     3. Decrease in value of currency in home country
                     4. Unexpected changes in sponsor's financial situation
                     5. Unexpected medical bills not covered by insurance

 To be eligible:     1.   Maintained lawful F-1 status.
                     2.   Full time study for at least one full academic year.
                     3.   Can verify that on-campus employment opportunities are not available.
                     4.   Can prove that the economic hardship is caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond your control.

 How long does the authorization last? The authorization is granted by USCIS. USCIS issues an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) for
 increments of one year at a time or until the program end-date, whichever is sooner. Authorization ends if you transfer schools.

 Do I have to have a specific job? No. Once you are approved for Employment Based On Economic Hardship, you can work at any job. It does not
 need to be related to your course of study.

 How long will it take to get the EAD? It can take up to 90 days (3 months) for USCIS to make a decision concerning your application. USCIS may
 ask for more evidence after you file the application, which may mean a longer waiting period. You must wait to work off-campus until you receive the
 EAD.

 How do I apply? Please submit the following documents to Des Peres Hall, Room 102:

           1.   A letter detailing the severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond your control. Substantial documentation
                is needed to show that the economic situation occurred after your arrival and was unforeseen. You will also need to show your inability
                to secure appropriate employment on campus. You should address the letter to USCIS.
           2.   Properly filled Form I-765 (www.uscis.gov/i-765). Make sure the address that you use is one that you will be at for the next few months.
                USCIS will not request that the mail be forwarded to your new address. You should mark item 16 as "(c)(3)(iii)"
           3.   Copy of your SEVIS I-20 (only pages 1 & 3), both sides of your I-94 card, passport page (or pages) showing photograph, biographical
                information, passport number, issuing country and expiration date.
           4.   Two passport size, color photographs with a white background as indicated in the instructions accompanying the Form I-765.
           5.   An application fee of $380 in a check payable to U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (a money order or bank draft is recommended).
                Cash is not accepted.

 What happens next? A few weeks after your application is sent, you will receive a Form I-797 as a receipt that they received your application. Each
 application is assigned a sequence of letters and numbers that is unique to your application. You may use this number to check your case status at
 https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/Dashboard.do.

 Simply submitting your paperwork to our office or USCIS does not permit immediate work authorization. Within 90 days, you should receive a decision
 concerning your application. If your application is approved, you will receive a card, the EAD, in the mail. You should not begin working until you have
 the card in your hand.

  It is your responsibility to notify Cathy Donahue (donahuec@slu.edu) if USCIS requests more evidence, you are not approved, or you have not
 received a decision within 90 days. If you are nearing the end of the employment (within 90 days of expiring) and will need to continue off-campus
 employment, you will need to contact Cathy Donahue to resubmit a new application.