Auto-apply to jobs on F-1 OPT and STEM OPT
Yes. If you are an F-1 student on OPT or STEM OPT, Applier can run the application part of your job search. In the questionnaire you pick "F-1 (OPT / CPT)" as your US status, say that you will need sponsorship later, and enter the end date on your EAD card. Applier then leaves out employers whose ads refuse sponsorship, and applies to the others on each employer's own careers site with a resume and cover letter written for that job. It can't confirm that a job relates to your degree or that an employer uses E-Verify; both stay with you and your DSO.
The clock OPT puts on a job search
OPT comes with a limit on days without work. USCIS's STEM OPT page gives the numbers:
| Period | Unemployment allowed | Running total |
|---|---|---|
| Initial post-completion OPT | Up to 90 days | 90 days |
| 24-month STEM extension | 60 more days | 150 days |
Ninety days is roughly thirteen weeks. Filling in an employer's form by hand, between classes or a campus job, limits you to a few a day. Applier keeps applying from its own servers while your laptop is shut, up to your plan's monthly allowance, so the count no longer depends on your free evenings. Volume isn't the whole answer, though: an application to an employer that won't sponsor later is a wasted one, which is why the filtering below matters as much as the speed.
"Will you now or in the future require sponsorship?"
This question decides a lot of OPT applications, and many ads state the answer before you apply: "we are unable to sponsor now or in the future", or "must be authorized to work without sponsorship". On OPT you can work today, but an H-1B later needs the employer to petition for you. In Applier's questionnaire that is the "In the future" answer to "Will you need visa sponsorship in the United States?".
Applier handles it in two places. Before applying, it reads the ad, and when the ad refuses sponsorship it skips the job for anyone who has said they'll need it. On the form itself, it gives the answer you set, every time. It won't answer "no" to get you past a filter: the application goes out in your name, and a false answer on it is your risk.
Three things Applier can't check for you
- Relation to your major. USCIS says all OPT must be directly related to your major area of study. Applier searches the job titles you choose, up to five, so choose titles your DSO would accept, and use the "titles to avoid" list for the ones they wouldn't.
- E-Verify. For the STEM extension, USCIS says the employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and run a formal training program. Applier doesn't check either, so ask in the first recruiter call.
- Unpaid or volunteer roles, and CPT. Whether these count is a question for your school's international student office, not for a job tool.
Small companies and big ones
A job board's one-click apply button only covers the employers that switch it on. Applier doesn't go through those buttons. It submits on the application form the employer itself runs, whichever system sits behind it, including a company's own careers page that wants an account created. It isn't limited to a published list of supported systems. When a site emails a code to confirm the account, the code goes to an application mailbox Applier gives you and is used for that application.
To see how other tools describe where they apply, read the comparison of auto-apply tools for H-1B and OPT job seekers.
Your first week
- Upload your resume and answer the questionnaire. Pick Review for applications, so you see each job before it goes.
- Read the first tailored resumes closely. Applier rewrites wording to mirror the ad only where your resume backs it up; projects, internships and coursework count.
- Open Answers to check daily. New-graduate forms ask about graduation date, GPA and start date; correct anything Applier filled in for you, and it uses your answer afterwards.
- Once the matches look right, switch to Hybrid so strong matches go out unattended.
- Connect a Gmail account if you want introductions sent to people on the hiring team. A person who replies is someone you can ask about sponsorship directly.
Related guides
If you already hold an H-1B, or the search is for a first one, see auto-apply on an H-1B visa. The new grad guide covers entry-level searches in general, and how many applications it takes to get an interview is worth reading before you set expectations. Plans are on the pricing page.
More auto-apply guides
- Auto-apply to senior, lead and manager roles
- AI job search for directors, VPs and executives
- Auto-apply to jobs that can sponsor your visa
- All auto-apply guides
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AWSFrequently asked questions
How does Applier answer "Will you require sponsorship in the future?" for OPT students?
With the answer you set. In the questionnaire you choose F-1 (OPT / CPT) as your US status and "In the future" for sponsorship, and Applier gives that answer on every form. It doesn't change the answer to get past a filter.
Does Applier check that an employer uses E-Verify for STEM OPT?
No. USCIS requires a STEM OPT employer to be enrolled in E-Verify, and Applier doesn't check enrollment. Ask the employer, and confirm the details with your DSO.
How many days can I be unemployed on OPT?
USCIS says up to 90 days during initial post-completion OPT, and an additional 60 days with the 24-month STEM extension, 150 days in total. See the USCIS STEM OPT page for the current rule.
Sources
- Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2026
- Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students (STEM OPT), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2026