Illinois Tech Career Services · International Students
Confirming Employment Eligibility
Know whether an employer can support your work authorization — before you accept the offer.
E-Verify is a free, internet-based system that confirms an employee’s eligibility to work in the United States. It compares the information from an employee’s Form I-9 against records held by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration.
The check is fast — most cases return a result almost immediately by cross-referencing federal records. Employers enroll voluntarily (some are required to), so not every employer participates.
Why It Matters for International Students
If you plan to use the 24-month STEM OPT extension, your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify — it is a federal requirement for that extension.
Before you count on a STEM OPT pathway, confirm a prospective employer’s E-Verify status, and talk with the Office of Global Services about your specific situation. (E-Verify enrollment is not required for H-1B sponsorship, but an E-Verify employer signals readiness to support work authorization.)
Official Sources
E-Verify.gov (DHS) · E-Verify Employer Search · USCIS — STEM OPT Extension · Illinois Tech E-Verify Search
